


Fast! - The 2014 Animated Endurance Racing Series through the eyes of the Iwatobi Racing Team

by AERS_Radio



Series: The Future Free! Motor Racing AU [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Car Racing, Donington: Makoto v Rin & Ai - Nagisa v Sosuke (ends in tears), Friendship, Gen, Karting: Rin v Haru v Sosuke - Nagisa v Momo, Le Mans finish: Haru v Spirou (ftw!), Le Mans start: Fantasio v Scott Tracy v Edd v Nagisa, Major Character Injury, MakoHaru: inferiority complex, Multiple Crossovers, Post-Canon, ReiGisa: worry, SouRin: clashes (as ever), Street Race: Rin v Sosuke v Makoto - Kazuyoshi v Rei, Suzuka: Makoto v Sosuke - Rin v Haru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-03-30 08:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 80,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3930748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AERS_Radio/pseuds/AERS_Radio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One sentence can go a long way. In this case, 4 675 km.</p><p>Makoto had been following the sport for a few years, but hadn't imagined he'd be part of it one day. Nagisa, of course, was chuffed at the opportunity to drive a sports car, and Rei was interested in aerodynamics, so those two coming along made sense. But Haru joining was a big surprise. Even more surprising: his performances seemed inverse-proportional to his interest. And his contribution turned what was supposed to be a simple (Saturday and) Sunday drive into a challenge for the top spot. After the three events they'd signed up for, they came away with more than they had banked on.</p><p>Focus on the <i>Free!</i> characters in multi-crossover motor races - cameos galore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The day before the first official test

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very long piece I started last Autumn. I gather it's quite different from a lot of _Free!_ fics *rolls eyes and whistles*, but it was the team spirit that struck me the most in the anime and led me to bringing this cross-verse motor racing idea (back) to life. See my profile for more set-up elements and disclaimer.
> 
>  **Update 30 Oct 2017.** This was written as post-canon before knowledge of events in _Timeless Medley_ , _Take Your Marks_ and the 2018 series. Some elements may no longer fit canon.
> 
> Rated T for technicality (but don't let that get in the way of the relationship dynamics aspect), alcohol references, rare cussing, potential for accident and injury.  
> Disclaimer in author profile.

**Le Mans, France, Friday 22 nd August 2014**

Makoto stood outside the garage, gazing at the pit wall and the grandstands on the other side of the track. Both were empty, but the weekend hadn't begun yet. He let out a soft sigh as a breeze swept through. The fact that his idea had gone this far was still soaking in, it still felt unreal that he was in France, and a day away from getting his first taste of one of the world's most iconic tracks. “How on Earth did I get here?”, he thought to himself. It seemed all he'd done was watch the final race of the previous season with Nagisa and Rei back in Japan. A few days later, Rei had looked up all the forms and regulations, and said it could be done. Nagisa would never turn down the chance to do something new with his friends. New Year came along and Haru returned to Iwatobi. Of course, it would take a little more persuasion to get _him_ on board.

“Where is Haru, by the way?” A glance over his shoulder showed Makoto the closed garage door, with the red banner marked “17 CHRYSLER” hanging over it. That was the next piece of the puzzle. Rei had contacted as many manufacturers as he could, and only the Americans answered straight away. They had been looking for a new team to run a second car in the top category, and, after a crash course to improve their English, the boys were invited to test in America. Haru seemed half-hearted about it, Rei was very interested in the scientific side of things, while Nagisa just couldn't keep at bay his excitement at trying out a fast car. The Mid-Ohio road course was where they'd sample the ME Four-Twelve. The plain white beast stood proudly next to its silver counterpart the works drivers would be running. Before they could get in, they'd need to try on some suits and helmets, and tell Haru he couldn't wear his swimsuit in the car. “Do you think I can find fireproof swimsuits somewhere?”, he asked, with his most serious face. Everyone else burst out laughing.

 

Makoto smiled recalling that moment. Finding a fireproof swimsuit was as likely as dying in a fire at a water park, and sure enough, Haru still hadn't found one. But he had become more involved in this new activity after he had tried it. It turned out he was a bit of a natural, instantly placing close to the more experienced racers they were testing with. That's what convinced the manufacturer to back them: the Iwatobi Racing Team was finally on the rails, and going for the big one, the annual 24-hour Toon Le Mans race. “Wouldn't it be fun to try endurance racing?” Yes, that's what Makoto had said a few months earlier. He didn't mean it seriously, he thought that world was out of reach, but it had become a reality. He wasn't the competitive type, but this wasn't really about competing. It was about trying something new that could reunite the four friends once again.

Haru arrived in front of the garage where Makoto had been waiting.

“Sorry for making you wait, I was, er... you know.” Haru's hair still dripping on the back of his neck told the story.

“Yeah, no problem”, replied Makoto. “I end up pulling you out of there one way or another!” he added with his distinctive smile. Makoto was very happy that Haru was along for the ride. It would have been very different without his childhood friend. Though he was faster and more competition-driven than Makoto, Haru's main focus was still on swimming. The three events his team had planned to enter were something on the side, and, like Makoto, he was just happy to get to do something with his high-school friends again. And the Iwatobi team was not the only one reuniting.

 

Makoto and Haru looked right. A dozen garages further up pit road, they could make out the familiar black suits of Samezuka, and the nose of their black car. Just as before they formed the swim team, Gou had gone and told Rin what his middle-school friends were up to. And he set up his own challenge. Makoto remembered the team's inauguration at the Academy in July very clearly. He was hardly surprised by Rin's move. Neither was Haru, but it still made him a little uneasy.

“Mazdas are really flammable, do they know that?”, said Nagisa on seeing the hoardings, quoting a comedy webseries he was into. Rei was baffled. He hadn't seen any Mazdas eligible for the race during his research. It had to be an effort to race in a slower category that theirs... But the shape under the red and gold sheet looked too low and racy for a slower car. The presentation was a sequence of shocking revelations. Seijuro Mikoshiba, Samezuka's swim team captain prior to Rin, was now in command of the racing team. Along came Rin and Ai Nitori... Ok, so far this made sense, but the four Iwatobi boys stared in disbelief as Sosuke Yamazaki was presented as the third driver.

“His shoulder?!”, muttered Haru. Driving isn't exactly like butterfly swimming in respect to using one's arms, but sportscar racing is still a strain. Then the drivers took the covers off. The Mazda Furai was a graphite black, menacing car, with a red and white stripe going along the roof, and a large Samezuka logo on the front. It featured dive planes at the front and a massive rear wing. This was an ambitious, manufacturer-backed, three-year assault with one objective: to win the most prestigious race on the calendar.

But at the buffet after the presentation, Rin assured Haru that he wasn't giving up his dreams in the pool. In fact, Rin seemed very chirpy about the whole motor racing experience, more like his old self, smiling, laughing and attempting humour.

“Hey Haru, now I can use your catchphrase, 'I only drive Furai!'...” Haru didn't react. “Get it?... Furai, _Furi_...” Makoto let out a slight giggle and that was it, Rin moved on to other guests. Makoto didn't take the Samezuka team more seriously than his own. He knew that both squads were beginners, and wouldn't be aiming for a big result any time soon. He still wanted to concentrate on the experience of racing, going as far as he could and not worrying about where he'd end up. Haru thought the same. In front of their garage, the two, glad to be in this together, exchanged a quick, complicit glance and a smile, before returning to looking at the grandstands that, in a few weeks, would be packed to cheer on thirty-five cars in the season's biggest event.

 

“Is this a sight you've never seen before?”, enquired a voice from their left, with a fairly strong French accent. Haru and Makoto turned to face a grinning ginger-haired man wearing a red jacket and trousers. Makoto instantly recognised him, Haru was clueless but intrigued by his use of a phrase he'd heard countless times before. “This is a great place to race, one of my favourites” he continued, before holding out his right hand. “I'm Spirou, I race for Peugeot, the team in the box next to yours.”

Makoto shyly shook his hand, and bowed spluttering “er, I'm Tachibana Makoto... Very honoured... Er... yeah, I drive here, and... This is my team-mate, Nanase Haruk... I mean Haru.” Haru quickly raised one hand in acknowledgement.

“Straight to the deep end, huh?”, Spirou continued. “Quite a few teams have made the 24 their first race. It makes things difficult to have no preparation before, but I understand that with the new regs, some plans have taken longer to get ready. Still, the more the merrier, right?”

Makoto instinctively said “yeah”, but he was embarrassed by the fact that he hadn't quite grasped what was being said. He guessed it made sense to someone infinitely more experienced than him though.

“Well, nice to meet you. I just came out to get some air and say hi, I've got to go back and talk to the engineers”, Spirou concluded, and started walking away. Then he paused, and turned back around.

 

_Late morning, outside the Iwatobi Racing Team motorhome._

“WHAT?!”, yelled Nagisa. “We're going to a party with a double TLM winner?! _YATTA_! We're really going places! Super job, Mako-chan!”

“Well, I didn't ask for anything”, replied Makoto, “he just came out, said his piece and asked us if we would join him for drinks this evening.”

“It's 'Belgian hospitality', apparently”, added Haru. "And I don't even know where Belgium is...”, he added, whispering to himself.

“Well it's sure nice of him, and it certainly can't hurt to talk to other racers”, Makoto continued.

“I've read that motor racers are a rather close community”, Rei intervened. “They talk to each other quite a lot, more so than swimmers. I don't remember spending time with any other swim teams, that is, apart from Samezuka.”

“Maybe we can get them to tell us how to win this race!”, plotted Nagisa, before picking up on Rei's comment: “also, we should hang out more with Rin-chan while we're here. It was a pity he wasn't with us when we visited Paris.”

“We'll see how we are tomorrow evening”, answered Makoto, “it's going to be a busy day tomorrow, starting with the presentation. Everything's ready, right, Rei?”

“Yep, the equipment's all here and totally new. We've even got our own new chassis.”

“And the helmets, and made-to-measure suits! I can't wait to see us in those!”, chirped Nagisa. “Are they here, Rei-chan?”

“Yes, Nagisa-kun, I've seen them.” Rei adjusted his glasses, before adding “And they're beautiful.”


	2. The eve of the first official test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I don't have chapter titles on my original material, I only have a few good ones in mind. This isn't one of them.

_That evening, at the Peugeot Sport hospitality area._

The four boys witnessed the contrast between the facilities of a privateer, beginner team like theirs and those of an experienced, factory-backed effort like Peugeot's. The French manufacturer was keen on getting a third home triumph, and had set up an impressive publicity area in the village to let the world know. VIP guests would soon be able to enjoy a drink on the terrace bar with a fine view of the cars running up to the Dunlop chicane. That was where they would be going, once their hosts arrived to grant them access. After a few moments, they heard someone shout down to them from the terrace.

“Haru, Makoto! I'll be down a couple of minutes!”, yelled Spirou. The terrace was a little busy, but not crowded. Lots and black and yellow shirts, the colours of the Journal Spirou Peugeot Sport team. Makoto and Rei thought that they recognised a few other drivers. They couldn't miss Fred Jones and Daphne Blake, wearing their usual distinctive costumes. They spotted a trio of young ladies in green, yellow and red dresses; they were surely drivers too. Nagisa doubted it, but Rei was adamant that three women were racing for Peugeot's sister brand, Citroën, and that those were their colours, so it had to be them.

Spirou and Fantasio, the two inseparable friends, team-mates and colleagues at the Spirou newspaper, spoke to the watchman and signalled to the Iwatobi crew to come up with them. Introducing themselves to Nagisa and Rei, smiling all the way, they took their guests to a cosy lounge on the first floor, looking out at the terrace. It had been a warm, late summer's day, and the boys felt distinctly out of place in T-shirts and shorts, while all around them were in more formal attire. Makoto apologised.

“That's ok”, replied Spirou, “I didn't mention a dress code.”

“But you guys do have team shirts, right?”, enquired Fantasio.

“Yes”, replied Rei, “but we're bringing out our official kit tomorrow morning.”

“We probably won't be around for that”, noted Spirou, “as senior racers, we have to prepare the drivers' briefing. Make sure you're on time for that; as beginners, you need to hear the basic on-track etiquette principles. Endurance is different to other racing categories in the respect that we have fast cars and slow cars all at once, so you need to know how to handle each type. But let's not worry you with that tonight, what can we get you to drink?”

Haru ordered some mint tea, to which Fantasio replied “you don't have to be shy on the drink: you're our guests on your first night at Le Mans! Enjoy yourselves!” Haru repeated “mint tea”. Makoto smiled and asked for a glass of Champagne, and Rei followed suit. “That's more like it”, grinned Fantasio, as he called for a bottle for the table. Nagisa had turned 18 at the beginning of the month, and was intrigued by 'Sex on the Beach'. Rei facepalmed.

While waiting for the drinks, Spirou kickstarted the conversation. “So what brings you guys to racing? Have you done some before and wanted to step up to something serious?”

As he had launched the idea, Makoto was best placed to answer. “Well, we've been taken on for the last three races of the year, we haven't got any motor racing experience so we'll see what we get out of it. But most of all, we were a swim team in high school and this is a chance to enjoy ourselves together again doing something different.”

Spirou was surprised. “No particular interest in sportscars, then?”

“Well sure, I've been watching this series for a while, and so has Nagisa, and Rei wants to study aerodynamics, so we're interested, but we're not going for a result, for example.”

“Of course, for your first race, don't set yourself a goal”, said Fantasio. “Especially a 24-hour race, anything can happen.”

“But you guys surely have an objective though, right?”, asked Nagisa.

“Well, our manufacturer certainly would like us to win”, answered Spirou, “and we have the experience and the ability, but there's so much you can't predict, with traffic and the car's reliability. The new regs don't help on that front. Best you can do is set a plan and you see if it's good enough to place you at the front. But it's very important to be comfortable with your pace. If you're comfortable with a very fast pace, you can try to win, but if not, you just run your race, keep the car going without overdoing it and see where you end up. For you guys, I suggest you work on finding a pace, even if it is rather slow, but a pace that will get you far in the race, both the car and with respect to your physical capacity, and work up from there in the future – if you decide you do have a future in the sport. Anyway, I said I wouldn't get technical...”

The drinks arrived at that point, and the hosts raised a toast to the new team.

Spirou then rebooted the discussion. “So, swim team, right? I wasn't too shabby a swimmer myself when I was your age. Did you have competitions?”

“We went all the way to Nationals in the medley relay!”, exclaimed Nagisa proudly. “That was when all four of us were together. We didn't get that high the year after, but Haru-chan and Rin-chan still swim competitively. You went to internationals this year, didn't you Haru-chan?” Haru nodded, silently sipping his tea.

“Nice”, complimented Spirou. “What style and distance do you swim?”

“Free”, replied Haru, shyly. “Just free.” Although it mattered to him so that he could continue swimming, he never liked to talk about his achievements. Sensing the awkwardness, Spirou smiled and talked to Rei. “And how about you?”

“Me what?”, he replied.

“Well, your competitive swimming?”

“Ah, I don't swim competitively, I used to swim butterfly, but I'm not on a team anymore.”

Spirou was confused. “But Nagisa mentioned you?”

“Ah, no”, interrupted Nagisa, “I was talking about Rin-chan, not Rei-chan.”

“It's Rin Matsuoka”, intervened Makoto. “He's a childhood friend of ours and he's also going to race here, for Samezuka Academy.”

“Which car is that, I can't remember?”, asked Spirou.

“The Mazda”, replied Rei.

“Ah, the Mazda...” Spirou's eyes gleamed with delight. “I'm looking forward to... hearing that car.”

“What's special about it?”, asked Nagisa. “We haven't heard it.”

“The rotary engine”, noted Fantasio. “The sound of that thing will blow your mind.”

“Yep, beautiful”, agreed Spirou. “But that's two teams of swimmers we have in the paddock then.”

“Yes, they've reunited their relay team from a year ago too”, added Makoto.

“You're not at least going to aim to beat them?”, suggested Fantasio, cheekily. The table fell silent. It was an impossible question to answer. At that point, a blonde woman came up to their table. “It's a lovely evening, and you're sitting indoors?”, she asked. The Iwatobi boys looked at each other, puzzled.

“Getting lonely and missing me, Seccotine?”, teased Fantasio. Spirou grinned and agreed.

“Ah, if the manager says we should... Let's go outside. Well guys, it was nice getting to know you. Feel free to walk around and talk to people. Nobody bites around here.”

 

The boys would meet a few other drivers and crews – and yes, the three women were the drivers of the factory-backed Totally Spies! Citroën team. The evening dragged on and the four eventually found themselves pensively and nervously staring at the Sun as it set behind the home straight grandstands. They had faced questions they clearly weren't prepared for, asked by drivers who would take the event very seriously indeed. Makoto spoke to reassure everyone.

“Tomorrow's only practice, guys. We get to know the car and the track. We're not here to beat anyone. Yet. Remember, we just wanted to have fun with a sportscar, and that's what we'll do. Let's get back and get some sleep.”

But maybe he'd spoken mostly to reassure himself. As the squad's founder, he had been designated the first driver of the day. This would be nothing like Mid-Ohio. Le Mans was a considerably longer and faster circuit. The car wasn't at full power in America to make handling easier for the novices that they were. And there would be a lot more traffic. There would be little or no margin of error. How much slower than the best would he be? Would he be too slow? What if problems meant they didn't get many laps?

While, in the next room of the motorhome, a slightly annoyed Rei tried to rest next to Nagisa who was acting like a child on Christmas Eve, Makoto sat anxiously in bed, with all these issues playing on his mind. Haru returned from the bathroom and laid down. He could tell Makoto was worried.

“Don't think about what the others said tonight”, he said, shutting his eyes.

“I'm sure they mean well”, mused Makoto, “but I feel we stood out as... not interested in racing, in cars. Everyone's taking this so seriously, and we'd be in this just for fun?” Slightly irritated, Haru opened his eyes again and sighed.

“That's not a problem. Didn't we go to the Nationals just to enjoy our time together?”

“No! I mean, we didn't have an objective as such, but at least we knew what we were doing!”

“And by the race, we will know what we're doing, Makoto. Meanwhile times won't matter. There is no pressure.” Haru had got used to pre-competition nights and sleeping under pressure. “There is nothing to worry about.” He moved to turn out the light placed in between the pair's beds. “Now get to sleep.”

“Haru...”, Makoto whined, turning towards him. Haru paused and looked Makoto in the eyes insistently, signalling that he didn't want to discuss anything. Because he didn't know more than his neighbour did. Because he didn't comprehend that his friend was worrying about a day with no implications.

Makoto got the message. “Thank you Haru”, he whispered. With a click, the light went out.


	3. The morning of the first official test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The car makes its first appearance!
> 
> Technical briefing ahead - imagine Spirou doing an "explanation" scene like Rin in the OVA and it shouldn't feel too bad. The content of the briefing is intended to be realistic, beyond the fantasy "Experimental" cars used: for example, slow zones were a new safety feature at Le Mans in 2014, and the minimum night laps to qualify is also a thing.
> 
> As of this chapter, a track map of the Circuit de la Sarthe will come in handy to situate the corners.

**Le Mans, France, Saturday 23 rd August 2014: TLM Test Day 1**

 

_7:45 AM, in the Iwatobi Racing Team motorhome._

“Nagisa-kun...”, moaned Rei, stuck in the corridor still in his pyjamas. “I have to change too. Come on, let me in!”

“No Rei-chan!”, shouted Nagisa from inside the pair's bedroom. “I want to surprise you when I'm ready.”

“Ugh Nagisa-kun, I've _seen_ the suit, there's no surprise for me! Now please let me in, we're going to be late”, Rei implored.

“Hang on, I'm nearly done, just getting the helmet on.”

“WHAT?!” Rei slammed his fist on the door. “You don't need to wear the helmet yet Nagisa, now come on!”

Rei banged repeatedly on the door, while inside, Nagisa was giggling and trying to adjust his helmet strap in front of the bathroom mirror. After a short moment, the banging stopped, and Nagisa, able to concentrate a little more, finally got the right setting. He went to the door, unlocked it and, “TADAA!... Rei-chan?”

Rei wasn't looking. He was staring down the corridor. Nagisa popped his head out, raised his helmet's visor and saw Haru and Makoto standing in their race suits, gloves tucked in their helmets they held in their left hands. Looking at them from their right created the illusion that they were ready for a swimming competition: the top of the race suit was an exact replica of the swim team's tracksuits (with some suppliers' names added on), while the leg copied the design of their old swimsuits. Yes, Rei had seen the suits, but seeing them being worn was like being taken back in time. “You... look...”, sighed Rei, when Nagisa leapt in front of them, crouched down and put his two gloved thumbs up and interrupted: “Ready to rumble!”

There was a pause, until Haru spoke.

“Rei, you are _not_ going to the presentation dressed like that.”

 

_8:35 AM, in front of the Iwatobi Racing Team garage._

“Which is why we believe this team can become a constructive addition to the Chrysler racing operation in the Animated Endurance Series. I will now pass the microphone on to team manager, Gou Matsuoka. Thank you.”

The journalists and members of other teams gathered in front of the garage applauded the manufacturer's representative lightly as Gou's turn to speak arrived. The boys were lined up in front of the car, hidden by a white veil featuring the familiar Iwatobi-chan mascot. Rei, on the left, was wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue trousers. Makoto, Haru and Nagisa next.

“An old saying goes, 'to finish first, first you must finish'”, started Gou.

“Hey, did Miss Amakata write Gou's speech?”, whispered Nagisa in Makoto's direction. Makoto shrugged his shoulders as if to say “no idea”.

Gou carried on, explaining that the team's objective was to proudly face the ultimate endeavour of...

“Miss Amakata did write this!”, resumed Nagisa. Makoto just briefly raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Gou-chan doesn't know what that word even means”, he insisted.

“Do you?”, asked Haru. Nagisa brought his hand to his chin in thought.

“Be serious you two, she's about to present us!”, interrupted Rei. Indeed, she was getting to that part.

“Sadly, the suits in this sport do not allow the athletes to display their muscles in a way that would do them justice”, announced Gou. In spite of what he'd just said, Rei couldn't resist. He let out a sigh and a disappointed-sounding “I'm sure Amakata-sensei didn't write _that_ bit.” Makoto smiled again. Gou continued, “but I'm sure you'll agree that they look quite the part.” With each name, the crew moved forward, bowed and waved for the photographers. “Our drivers are Nagisa Hazuki... Haru Nanase... and Makoto Tachibana... And our race engineer, Rei Ryugazaki... Now, no doubt everyone is eager to see what the car looks like, so take it off, boys!”

The white sheet was pulled back by Nagisa and Rei on one side, Makoto and Haru on the other. They revealed a sleek machine, white with blue wheel arches and doors, “IWATOBI” written in large on the bonnet and the rear wing. The race number, 17, featured prominently. It wasn't a new model, the works team had been running it up until then, so it was more about presenting the car's colours. Like their suits, the drivers hadn't seen the car in its war paint before that day, so Rei looked for the expressions on his friends' faces. Nagisa was clearly containing his excitement. Haru and Makoto smiled approvingly. In the audience, Rin and Ai were impressed. But there was little time to hang around. After a few group photographs with the car, the mechanics pulled the car into the garage to begin some setup work, while the drivers headed to their briefing.

 

_9:00 AM-10:30 AM, drivers' briefing. Main directives._

Both today and tomorrow's sessions are for practice. **Strictly no racing.** Respect the other teams' training and testing regimens by not pressuring other cars and running close behind them. Expect variable braking distances and acceleration rates at all times.

There will be beginners on track: let them get used to the course. Expect them to brake extra early in the first few hours as they pick up reference points and rhythm. Experienced drivers, keep your distances.

Expected pace: based on projections from performances at Spa, the more powerful “Experimental 1” (X1) cars are predicted to be capable of 3'40-3'45; the “Experimental 2's” should be 20 seconds a lap slower. Expected top speed differential: 30-40 km/h.

Blue flags: a faster car is behind you. They will systematically be shown to X2 class cars being approached by X1 class cars, and will systematically be shown to beginner drivers in both classes being approached by an experienced driver in the same category.

Faster cars: be patient. This is not Formula 1, do not expect a slower car to move over for you, even if it is being shown a blue flag. You _will_ have to go off-line to pass. Make sure that the blue flag is not also for you (are you, in turn, followed by a faster car?). You may show yourself in the car in front's mirrors and flash your lights to make sure it sees you.

Slower cars: be predictable. Stick to your racing line and the faster cars will work around you. Between the two chicanes on the Hunaudières, the racing line is on the right; move there promptly. Check your blind spot and mirrors when you see blue flags, particularly approaching the kinks between Mulsanne and Arnage, through the Porsche curves and Maison Blanche, as well as turn 1 going up to the Dunlop chicane and the S de la Forêt.

Yellow flags: slow down and no overtaking until a marshal post is waving green flags. If the yellow flags are waved, the danger is within track limits and you must go even slower. Be prepared to stop. “SLOW 60” signs may appear where more serious incidents have happened or track repairs are being made. Speed is limited to 60 km/h, and no overtaking. Tomorrow, “SLOW 60” signs will be shown without there being any danger. These are tests to get you used to the procedure that is new for this year.

Night laps: beginner drivers must perform at least 5 laps at night before the race. Tonight's session from 9 PM to 12 PM should allow some of you to get those laps out of the way. Focus on judging distances and speed differentials between cars in the dark.

 

_11:50 AM, in the Iwatobi Racing Team pit._

The car sat in front of the garage on the jacks while Rei went over the final technical tweaks with the mechanics. Haru was listening intently, while Makoto watched from pit wall in his race suit, helmet and gloves not far. His suit wasn't done up, the top of his overalls was tied around his waist. This left apparent a yellow, fireproof, long-sleeved T-shirt with the “Secret Iwatobi-chan” mascot. Behind him, an engineer was briefing Gou on the telemetry available to her, as she would be expected to relieve Rei at times during the 24-hour race. Makoto wasn't listening in. Nagisa came up to him.

“Nearly time, Mako-chan! This is exciting, eh?”, he chirped. Makoto was nervous again.

“Yeah, it is”, he mumbled back.

“Five more minutes and we can turn the engine on!”, Nagisa continued, looking at the car. Then he turned to look at Makoto who was staring at the ground. “You look down, Mako-chan, what's the matter?”

“Nothing”, lied Makoto. He looked towards the car and thought he'd better not discuss anything so close to the beginning of the session. If Haru came over and overheard it, he'd be angry again. Nagisa grabbed Makoto's sleeve.

“It's not easy the first time”, he said softly, “ but you'll see, it'll be fine once things get going. It'll all come to you naturally. It did for me the other time.” Nagisa had been the first to try out the car in America because he was the most excited. Now, Makoto would be the first to drive the car on a track unknown to him.

Rei waved Makoto over to the car. “Let's get you seated and run you through the controls again!”, he called. Makoto and Nagisa walked over, the former untying the sleeves from his waist and closing the top of his overalls. Rei opened the left door and revealed the boys' new office. Makoto was the tallest and broadest of the three drivers, so the seat was made to fit him. There was no room to put the helmet on inside, so Makoto had to get fully geared up before getting in. As Haru and Nagisa looked on, he donned his black balaclava and his helmet decorated with sharp, green, orange and black shapes. Then, being careful to not sit on the harness, he slipped inside. The left leg of his suit echoed his helmet, with 'MAKOTO' written clearly on it.

Rei laid flat on the left-front wheel arch and on the windscreen to give Haru and Nagisa a decent view of how to put the seat belt on. In time, they'd need to know how to buckle up reasonably quickly and, during the changes, check that the driver getting in is correctly strapped in. The five-point harness clicked together, Rei moved on to the transponder. The helmet had to be plugged in to the car, and Makoto switched the battery on to try out the radio. Rei yelled over to pit wall. “Hey Gou! Headset! We're trying the radio!”

Gou giggled, hiding her mouth with one hand while giving Rei the thumbs up with the other. She put her headset on, and the engineer showed her how to tune it in and talk. She began: “hello Makoto?”

“Yes, this is Makoto”, came the reply from the car.

Gou giggled again and asked, “is Rei giving you a sexy car wash or something?”

Makoto looked out at Rei and laughed. Rei frowned back: “ok, what did she say?”

While the three-way discussion between Gou, Rei and Makoto was getting out of hand, Haru's attention was drawn by the neighbouring pit. The Peugeot Onyx was being rolled out. In black and yellow overalls, like the car, and wearing a mainly red helmet, Spirou came out of the garage talking with his tactician, the elderly Count of Champignac. They were speaking French, so Haru understood none of it. A short moment, Spirou turned his head in his direction, and winked.

A siren sounded through pit lane. It was 11:55. “We can start the engine!”, shouted Nagisa. “Not yet, we haven't finished going through the switches”, commanded Rei. He reminded Makoto of the different controls and indicators he had at his disposal. Behind the blue and white car, Spirou got into the Peugeot and started it up. As it used a Diesel engine, it was a surprisingly quiet vehicle for a racecar. In the pit immediately ahead, nothing was happening: the works Chrysler team would join a few hours later so that extra mechanics and engineers from the constructor could concentrate on getting the Iwatobi team going. But further down, the rumble of big petrol engines could be heard.

Makoto felt the car fall to the ground as the jacks were removed. Rei went over to pit wall and donned his headset. He called in: “all clear, Makoto?”

“Yes Rei, I'm ready” was the reply.

“Fine. Start it up.”


	4. Ignition Spark of Discovery!

_Three minutes to midday._

The Chrysler ME Four-Twelve was powered by a big, Mercedes-built V12. The idle sound was a deep rumble. Nagisa couldn't wait to hear more.

“Can we get some revs, Mako-chan?” Makoto asked pit wall for revs, Rei agreed. Makoto pressed the accelerator pedal gently a few times, and the gruff sound turned into something more of a roar, with the whistle of all four turbos joining in. The hairs on Nagisa's arms stood on end, and he shivered with delight. Haru may not show it, but he was enjoying the sound. Makoto, meanwhile, was more relaxed. The sensations of Mid-Ohio came back to him and he felt ready to get moving. Rei and Gou were glad that the team would start the session on time.

Rei gave his first tactical instruction. “Ok Makoto, when the siren sounds at 12, we're going to let a few cars go before us. It's a long track, so there's more than enough room for everyone.”

On the one minute signal, Haru and Nagisa exchanged handshakes with Makoto, wished him luck and shut his door, before migrating to pit wall. Makoto was now alone in his bubble, with only the lollipop man's signal to go to focus on. Some cars, including the Peugeot, moved to the end of pit lane to be first out on track. At noon, the green light came on at the end of pit lane, and the cars lined up at pit exit roared up to the Dunlop chicane. Thus started the six-hour daytime test session. Less than a minute later, Rei give the signal for the pit crew to release the car. Makoto saw the “brakes” sign flip to “in gear”, then be lifted. He was off. On the pit limiter, he moved carefully along pit road, passing the cars that hadn't yet moved out, including Samezuka's Mazda Furai with its door still open, Rin waiting patiently inside.

Makoto reached the end of pit road and, with the throttle not fully in, he pressed the pit limit button to turn it off: the car still lunged mightily forward with a growl. So far, this was no rougher than Makoto had experienced in America. He cautiously ran through the Dunlop chicane, and accelerated downhill to the S de la Forêt.

“Don't accelerate too hard yet, Makoto, and get some heat into the tyres on this lap”, instructed Rei. After Tertre Rouge, Makoto was on the very long backstretch for the first time. Not going higher than 4th gear for now, and weaving to warm the tyres, he radioed in: “Speedbird to Butterfly, where the hell does this straight end?” Rei chuckled, leaving Nagisa and Haru a little puzzled.

“Butterfly to Speedbird”, he replied, with the other two realising what was funny, “you should be seeing the signs for the first chicane now.”

“Oh yeah, there it is.”

“Makoto, remember to hold right after the first chicane, and after the second, I'd like you to do a full power acceleration.”

“Understood.”

The straight between the two chicanes on the Hunaudières was a little shorter than the one after Tertre Rouge, as Makoto put the car in 5th gear to get used to the higher speed. Then, after the left-right-left, he floored the throttle in second gear. This was the first time he had experienced all 850 horsepower the engine could deliver, and it felt as if he'd been thrown into his seat. So violently, that he put the car in 3rd gear almost unintentionally, as his right hand slid on the gearshift paddle. The engine was roaring, and the turbos sounded like typhoon winds to him, the acceleration was relentless all the way up to 5th gear, when things seemed to become more neutral. Only when in 6th could he breathe again, and yell on the radio “my God, this thing's just beaten me up!” He had only just finished his sentence when the car went over the famous Mulsanne crest. He yelped as the car came down the other side. Rei sought to calm his driver down.

“Slow down now Makoto, you're coming up to the hairpin. Thanks for the push, everything looks ok, now get back to focusing on the tyres and look out for reference points. Start pushing on the acceleration again on your next lap from Tertre Rouge.”

Nagisa and Haru meanwhile were intrigued by a strident, very high-pitched sound coming from the exit of pit lane.

“Is that Rin-chan?”, wondered Nagisa. “Spirou said their car would sound different...” A big screen was installed on the other side of the track, and Haru and Nagisa could see it from where they were. On it, they saw the Furai heading down to the esses. The director then decided to show the Iwatobi car, and the circuit announcer mentioned that these were two new teams for this year's event.

“Our car looks better”, boasted Nagisa.

The cars that had left the pits first were coming up to the start-finish straight, and Haru, Nagisa, Rei and Gou listened to the cars going by. There were the big engines, such as the Shelby's V10 and Peter Perfect's Veritas-BMW V10, going by with a deep rumble that pulsated through the ground. The Peugeot's Diesel V8 married a muffled growl with the whistle of two turbos. Other cars like the Ferrari V8-engined Pininfarina Sergio had a loud, higher pitch.

“Here comes Mako-chan!”, shouted Nagisa. Out of the Ford chicane, Makoto floored the throttle again to give his friends an idea of what they'd get have to used to. The machine roared by, leaving Nagisa with a broad grin on his face, and Rei nodding with satisfaction. “He's shifting at the exact perfect moment”, he noted.

“How did that sound, Rei?”, asked Makoto on the radio.

“Just fine, Makoto, keep it up!”

A couple of minutes later, that high-pitched squeal was approaching.

“Rin-chan is coming!”, said Nagisa, grabbing Rei's arm. Rei took off his headset and listened out. In the neighbouring pit, Fantasio moved closer to Haru and leaned out to sample the Furai's noise. Samezuka's car was powered by an engine with rotary pistons, and the sound it produced was distinctive to say the least. Clicking up the gears, the Mazda produced a loud, spectacular, piercing scream. Nagisa's jaw dropped. Rei and Haru's eyes opened wide. Fantasio laughed.

“That's just crazy”, he beamed, and turned back to his engineers.

Meanwhile, Makoto was finishing off with the Hunaudières at full speed. Progressively, he got the measure of the car and the track, braking later and dosing the accelerator through the corners. After just three quarters of an hour, Rei called him back to the pits and Nagisa prepared to take over. This was a chance to practice the driver change and train the pit crew.

“Set the tyres aside, we'll put them back on when Makoto gets back in”, said Gou to the crew chief. Makoto pulled in on the pit limiter, stopped on the mark and turned the engine off. As per the rules, the driver change takes place at the same time as the refuelling, and the tyre change must wait. Makoto undid his seat belt and leapt from the car. Nagisa was the shortest and thinnest driver on the team, so he first had to install his adapter for the seat. Then get in and buckle up. Nagisa breathed out as Makoto strapped him in and yanked the chest belts tight. Breathing in again, Nagisa felt firmly in the grip of the harness. Don't forget the transponder connection to the helmet. Change the drink bottle. Refuelling had been finished for the best part of ten seconds by the time Nagisa was installed – ideally, it shouldn't take longer than refuelling, but this was the first try, and only enough fuel for forty minutes was put in the tank. Once that was done, the jacks went up and the tyre changing crew got to work. Twenty seconds later, the jacks came down, and Rei instructed Nagisa to check everything before going off, even if the lollipop man signalled to go. The engine barked back into life, Nagisa reminded himself of the switches and buttons, asked Rei about a couple, then said “ok, no more questions, Rei-chan.”

“Off you go then, Nagisa-kun, good luck and take it easy on your first lap.”

Away went the car, while Makoto approached Haru in the garage while removing his helmet.

“How was it?”, asked Haru.

“Different”, noted Makoto. “We've got more power than in America. The traffic isn't too bad.” He paused before smiling softly. “Still good fun, the track is a thrilling drive!”

“No worries then”, Haru stated. Makoto returned to a more serious expression and looked at Haru. He confirmed: “no.”

“Good”, continued Haru. “Listen Makoto, I'm sorry for being a little cold with you last night. I didn't want things to get to me and acted a bit selfishly. But now I'm glad to see you're enjoying this after all.” He looked down. “I hope I'll enjoy it.”

Makoto smiled again. “It's ok, Haru. And don't you worry. You enjoyed the test in America, right? Then believe me, you'll love this.” Haru looked back up at Makoto, who paused. “I should probably talk to Rei. And get a drink. Damn, what do I do first?”

“You go to pit wall, I'll bring out some drink”, replied Haru, walking off to get some tea.

Makoto walked over to pit wall and talked with Rei, Gou and Nagisa on the radio, who was, as you'd expect, thoroughly enjoying the drive. He also got to hear the cars go by, and was impressed with the diversity of notes. Forty minutes later, Nagisa was called in, and Haru took over. Like in America, he was quick to adapt. Towards the end of the run, Rei peeked over to the timing screen. Haru was within two seconds of the fastest, a more than reasonable performance given it was his first stint at the track. “It doesn't mean anything”, Rei said to himself, “everyone is driving well within themselves.” But he still struggled to look away from the fact that his was the sixth-fastest car so far. “Pit wall, is my time up?”, called Haru, interrupting Rei's wandering.

“Er, yes Haru, box this lap please, and we'll put the car in the garage to give it a check-up. Repeat, box this lap, no driver change, car is going in the garage.”

“Thank you Rei. Speedbird out”, was Haru's final message. Rei looked back at the timing screen. He was still baffled. “I should be comparing with qualifying last year... but the cars were running to different rules so I have no point of comparison...” As Haru pulled in, he continued to stare at the screen. It still showed his team in sixth place. “It's not logical that I'm thinking that this sight is anywhere near important. Yet I can't look away!”

***

 **TOON LE MANS PRELIMINARY PRACTICE CLASSIFICATION** (after the two days of testing)

Practiced: 35 (24 X1, 11 X2)

1\. VAG Kanto 8 - #8 Volkswagen Nardo - A.Ketchum/Misty/Brock - 3'44"041

2\. International Racing TB1 - #11 Ford GT90 - S.Tracy/G.Tracy/V.Tracy - 3'44"284

3\. Journal Spirou Peugeot Sport - #23 Peugeot Onyx - Spirou/Fantasio/Zorglub - 3'44"905

...

12\. Iwatobi Racing Team - #17 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve - H.Nanase/M.Tachibana/N.Hazuki - 3'48"112

22\. Samezuka Academy Mazdaspeed - #22 Mazda Furai - R.Matsuoka/S.Yamazaki/A.Nitori - 3'51"032

...

25\. (1st X2) Team Rocket Alfa Corse - #80 Alfa Romeo TZ3 - Jessie/James/Giovanni - 4'00"710

26\. (2nd X2) Mystery Machines X2 - #88 Volvo Concept Coupe - S.Doo/S.Dum/S.Rogers - 4'02"249

27\. (3rd X2) Spacely Sprockets Team Jetson - #75 Cadillac Evoq - G.Jetson/Ja.Jetson/Ju.Jetson - 4'02"400

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what fascinated me with Le Mans the very first time I went there: the different engine sounds. I've transcribed the noise best I can, but a soundbyte is worth a thousand words, so, if you're interested, you can look up some videos on your favourite video platform. Here's my "auditory vision" for some cars that have or have not been mentioned yet.  
> Shelby GR-1 - sounds like Panoz LMP1  
> Veritas RS III - sounds like BMW Z4 GT3  
> McLaren X-1 - sounds like McLaren MP4-12C GT3  
> Peugeot Onyx - sounds like Peugeot Onyx (duh for that one)  
> Volkswagen Nardo - sounds like Montecarlo BRC W12 (same engine)  
> Chrysler ME Four-Twelve - sounds like Pagani Huayra (louder though)  
> Maserati Birdcage 75 - sounds like Ferrari FXX Evoluzione  
> Mazda Furai - sounds like Mazda 787B (really worth a listen)
> 
> As you can tell, the technical universe is very elaborate, short classifications will appear (class podiums + Iwatobi & Samezuka to situate them, and I do draw up full classifications for coherence), but the fic will remain focused on what Iwatobi is doing.


	5. Training and registering

**Saint Malo, France, Thursday 4 th September 2014**

Training for a long-distance motor race was different to training for a swim meet. Stamina was required rather than short bursts of effort – although those could come in handy in qualifying, they weren't decisive. A driver's ability to last two to three hours at a time in the car, with only four or five hours of rest in between stints, was.

Jogging along the windy Brittany coast was on the menu every day, as well as some swimming. Haru needed to train for his competitions too, and needless to say he was easily among the fastest swimmers the local pools had ever seen. Makoto, Nagisa and Rei got to admire that exquisite, fluid style once again. Makoto remembered the time he raced Haru in the Prefectoral 200m freestyle race in third year of high school. He started too fast and and was exhausted for the last 50m. Overdoing it in the early stages was a mistake he could not afford to repeat in endurance racing.

“You'll start with a full fuel load, so you probably won't feel the urge to push too hard anyway”, said Rei. “Imagine swimming after eating eight Iwatobi Cream Breads, that's roughly how it'll feel.” Makoto winced and touched his stomach at the thought.

Nagisa was outraged: “hey, I did that once and swam just fine! I'll miss those cream breads now I'm at university...” All of them were in higher studies, with Rei, Nagisa and Gou having graduated from Iwatobi High the previous Spring. Taking time every day to prepare for the next term was also important during their long stay in Europe.

The three eventually joined Haru in the pool and swam together for a while. Rei wasn't going to drive, but he still trained, mostly because this allowed him to spend time with his friends.

Friends. Friends again. They needn't have formed a racing team to reconnect, but in effect, that's what the four had come all this way for. After a couple of weeks together, they had caught up on each other's lives, enjoyed each other's company and reminded themselves of the good times in high school. The business side of the month in France was now on the horizon, with the team going to the technical and administrative checks on Saturday, and it was nearly time to head back to Le Mans.

Also, Rei had to act as manager for the drivers while Gou was kayaking with her brother in the Dordogne. The previous evening, the boys had been walking along the remparts and Nagisa had sighed: “I wish Rin-chan was here too. We've been in France for weeks and not seen him.”

“He's as busy as we are, Nagisa”, reassured Makoto. “But I'm sure he's thinking about us too. I'm sure we'll get to catch up with him.”

“Well I've caught up with him”, said Haru.

“Really?! When?”, whined Nagisa, jealously. “What did you talk about?” Rei also looked puzzled.

“Nothing”, replied Haru, smiling. “I caught up with him... and passed him at Mulsanne.”

Rei and Makoto burst out laughing. Nagisa frowned. “Eeeh, not funny, Haru-chan”, he moaned. “I miss Rin-chan, and also Ai-chan. It was really fun to face Ai-chan when he was captain of Samezuka...”

 

Rei stopped swimming and got out, looking pensively at the opposite end. Nagisa stopped and asked “tired, Rei-chan?”

“No. But I've got an idea.” He waved to Haru and Makoto to join him. Makoto got out and walked, but Haru didn't want to get out. He and Nagisa stayed in the water while Rei told them about his idea.

“Guys, it's our last day here, and I don't know how much swimming we'll get to do over the next week. So I was thinking...” Rei hesitated. “Well, it's not going to be much because it's going to be just us, but... could we swim a relay together while we're here?”

“SUPER IDEA, REI-CHAN!”, yelled Nagisa immediately. Makoto and Haru just gasped. It was a nice idea, all they needed was enough room. Haru's status allowed him to have a lane to himself when he'd trained, and the pool's management happily obliged again on the pretext of letting them have a go at the club's medley relay record. The four had become familiar with the venue and got on well with other swimmers, despite their very limited French. On hearing the plan, a quatuor of local swimmers spontaneously decided to run against them, just to give them company in the pool; they didn't think they had a chance against athletes aiming to complete the most gruelling of motor races, let alone a world-class swimmer like Haru.

Makoto dived in and prepared himself for the backstroke phase.

“Prêts?”, called the starter. “Go!”

 

***

**Le Mans, France, Saturday 6 th September 2014: TLM Technical and Administrative Verifications**

_11:25 AM, Place de la République._

Taking place in the city centre, the _Vérifications Techniques et Administratives_ are an essential part of Le Mans folklore. The teams bring their vehicles to be measured, weighed and checked for all the safety equipment and papers. The drivers are also there for their racing licences and suits to be verified. Finally, official team photos are taken. The Chryslers were due for inspection at 11:20 AM on the first day of verifications: the factory-backed Hey Arnold! car first, then the Iwatobi Racing Team's. At 11:50, the next team on the list was Samezuka Academy with Mazdaspeed. “I hope this means we'll finally get to talk to Rin-chan”, thought Nagisa.

Arriving just after the works squad, led by Arnold and his team-mates who had raced a Viper GTS-R before the rule changes, the Iwatobi drivers would get their first taste of the limelight, as a few hundred spectators lined the path between the lorries and the verification area. The mechanics and engineers were dressed in their yellow team shirts, while the drivers were wearing their race overalls. Rei, in his blue shirt, stuck with the car and the technical staff, and headed straight for the vehicle registration bay.

The drivers had been told they could sign autographs on their way to the registration tent, but hadn't really taken it seriously. They were completely unknown to the track-going public, and were expecting to sit around, a bit like when they tried to bring new members to the swim club. But to their surprise, the fans were calling them over, by name, for their signatures. They found that the official program had been edited, with, inside it, a section for autographs – with names, photos and a space for each driver's signature. The most passionate of racing fans may have their favourites among the usual participants, they are also happy to meet the drivers who may not end up at the sharp end and offer some encouragement.

“Nice deco on the car!”

“Merci, et bonne chance, les gars!”

“It's your first time here, yes? Hope to see you at the finish!”

“Ils sont beaux gosses, en plus!”

After roughly ten minutes, Gou asked the boys to move on, and apologised to the fans who could not get their autographs (in French; as PR manager, she had to know a few phrases in the language of the country they were racing in). Another session in pit lane would take place on the Friday morning. Arnold, Gerald and Sid, the three factory drivers, had finished their checks, and the officials were waiting for the next trio. The drivers exchanged handshakes in front of the tent as the Iwatobi drivers went for their review, while the works team lined up their car and staff for the photographers.

Identity, height, weight, racing curriculum (empty), portrait and photo of their helmets, even things like favourite food or music – not all the information was administratively important, but it would all go into the official yearbook. Rei came in and noted that the car had been “asked pretty much the same questions... except the favourite music”. It took the best part of ten minutes, and when they came out of the tent, Samezuka's lorry had just arrived, and the Mazda Furai was being unloaded. “We'll catch them on the way back to the truck”, said Rei. “The crew is waiting for us for the group photo.”

The car sat in the middle of a clearing in the crowd. The crowd in question wasn't one of fans anymore, but mostly photographers and journalists. Some were still talking to Arnold, as the Iwatobi Racing Team's mechanics, engineers and staff lined up behind the car, which had passed its exam and now had two legality stickers on it, just behind the drivers' names. The three pilots, with their helmets at their feet, stood to one side of the car, while Rei and Gou stood on the other. The official photographer took a few overall pictures, then moved in to get some closer views of the car and have the drivers pose with it. Nagisa was goofing around and smiling broadly for the photos, while Haru looked unamused by the lengthening media attention. Makoto was surprised by neither and played along casually.

As the team dispersed and the car was pushed back towards the lorry, the Iwatobi drivers finally found themselves face to face with their Samezuka counterparts. Predictably, their race suits echoed their former swim team tracksuits, black with the red-lined white stripe along the arms and down the sides of the legs. Rin and Ai were smiling broadly after their autograph walk, while Sosuke, with his eyes concealed behind dark sunglasses, looked as serious as ever.

“Rin-chan! Ai-chan!”, jumped Nagisa. Ai looked down in dismay.

“You still do that '-chan' thing, Hazuki-kun?”, he asked.

“Haru! Makoto!”, called Rin. “Quickly before we get pulled into the registration tent!”

“We're not exactly going to have a long chat here, are we?”, remarked Makoto.

“Of course not”, replied Rin. “Look, I'd like us to meet up later, before the week gets really busy. We'll be at the go-kart track at Maison Blanche for 4:30, if you can you make it, or afterwards we'll have some free time.”

“4:30? Sure!”, smiled Nagisa and Makoto.

“Well, see you there, then! And bring your race kit.”

With that the two teams exchanged handshakes and moved on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As well as the verifications roughly a week before the race, the real-life 24 Hours (which will be referred to in-verse as the ACO 24 Hours if necessary) also have a driver parade in Le Mans city centre on the Friday before the race.  
> The TLM doesn't have that, but will introduce its drivers to the grid with a parade, similar to what Formula 1 does.
> 
> But that's in a more distant future. First up: the go-kart race between Samezuka and Iwatobi!


	6. The go-kart race

_4:20 PM, Alain Prost karting circuit._

The Iwatobi team arrived early at the go-kart track, and found out at the desk that the Samezuka boys were already gearing up. In the dressing room, they found that Rin, Ai and Sosuke were sitting in their race overalls, watching Seijuro and his younger brother Momotaro, who were wearing their team's mechanics' overalls and trying on the circuit's helmets.

“ _Onii-chan_!”, called out Gou. Rin was quick to get up, but Momo was even quicker to go up to the group.

“GOU-SAN!”, he shouted. “Rin and big brother didn't tell me you were here, what a surprise! Do you remember me? I'm Mikoshiba MomotaAAARGH!”

“Yes Momo, she remembers you”, butted in Rin, pushing his tactician's sibling to one side. “Hey guys, it's great you could come. I didn't have time to explain earlier, but we're going a little media thing for the Iwatobi paper, so it's good to have both teams here.”

“Not more PR...”, thought Haru.

Rin continued, “I put you all down for the go-kart challenge, is that ok?”

Rei hesitated. “Er, well, I wasn't planning on...”

“Eh, Rei-chan”, squealed Nagisa, “you've got to join in!”

“But I've never done go-karts before.”

“Don't worry Rei, this go-karts stuff is easy”, Makoto laughed. “You don't need to have run in the test days to grasp it!”

“I haven't driven a race car either”, said Seijuro, “this is just a bit of fun.”

“But...”, pondered Rei, looking for a reason to decline. “But I haven't got a suit!”

“The circuit provides some over there”, pointed Rin, “and like Seijuro and Momo, you can borrow a helmet here.”

“I haven't looked at the theories about...” Rei didn't have enough time to make his next point before Nagisa pushed him towards the overalls.

“Aha! No excuses, Rei-chan!”, he smiled. Gou followed them. The three drivers had come with their race suits and helmets as requested by Rin. Haru and Makoto put theirs on top of the clothes they were wearing.

A few moments later, Rei came back wearing plain grey overalls.

“It's not beautiful”, he sulked.

Rin rubbed it in with a sneaky smile and a quick comment: “I agree.”

“It was the last one in his size”, added Nagisa, who was hopping over while getting his legs into his overalls.

“Gou has found a more elegant colour”, noticed Rei. Gou's overalls were blue.

“She looks more like a builder than a racer”, remarked Sosuke, bro-fisting with Rin.

“Way to spend your first words of the day, Sosuke!”, responded Gou.

Makoto smiled, and grabbed his collar. “Man, we're going to get really hot and sweaty in these”, he sighed. Gou blushed slightly, imagining her boys in wet T-shirts...

“Yep, no air conditioning on a go-kart”, remarked Haru.

 

The circuit manager called the drivers' briefing. It was very quick: “well, I guess I don't need to remind you how to behave on track. In terms of this competition, you're going to have a 10-minute practice session, then a 5-lap race, starting on the grid. Between sessions and after the race, we'll let you have the start line for photos.”

As well as a journalist and photographer from the Iwatobi Morning newspaper, the gang would have a few spectators watching them. Friends of the people already on track and others waiting for their sessions were already intrigued by the men wearing proper race overalls. When the session under way came to an end, the ten participants went to their assigned vehicles. They were identical-spec, basic go-karts, nowhere near as inaccessible as the fire-breathing prototypes the upcoming week would be about.

The circuit manager started the engines and the racers were off for their practice. It wasn't too long before Rei put himself into a spin by braking too hard to avoid a charging Rin. Gou and Seijuro had quite a battle throughout the first few laps. Haru caught up and disposed of the pair with little difficulty, but Ai split them, unable to pass Seijuro. A traffic jam formed behind the Samezuka tactician, but Nagisa seemed to slalom through it unfazed. Sosuke followed Makoto around at a slight distance, until he went on the attack when Rin caught up, and pressured the Iwatobi racer into running wide. He and Rin battled until the end of the session. Rei spun again; this time he was aided by Nagisa. Makoto followed Haru for a while, and went a bit quicker by observing his lines. Momo, having picked off Gou (waving on his way past) and Ai in the traffic jam, eventually punted his older brother off track...

A lot had happened in 10 minutes, but Rin ended up fastest, fractionally quicker than Haru and Sosuke. Rin versus Haru – the newspaper couldn't have dreamed of a better front row. Neither could Rin.

Here's how they lined up:

 **1\. RIN** #2 - **2\. HARU** #9

 **3\. SOSUKE** #1 - **4\. NAGISA** #5

 **5\. MAKOTO** #12 - **6\. MOMO** #8

 **7\. AI** #10 - **8\. GOU** #7

 **9\. SEIJURO** #15 - **10\. REI** #14

 

As Haru and Rin posed on the start line for the photo, with Sosuke and Nagisa standing behind them, Rin unleashed his fighting talk.

“I knew I could count on you, Haru”, he said. “Let's see if you can beat me at this game.”

“I don't care”, replied Haru, with a slight smile coming on. “I only drive fast.”

Rin grinned with satisfaction. “So _that_ 's your new catchphrase... I'm looking forward to this.” The two shook hands and then turned for the same with the boys on the second row of the grid.

The racers were now on the grid, the karts' small engines purring idly. To the right side of the track, three red lights came on, and went out a few seconds later, signalling the start of the five-lap competition. Rin and Haru got good starts, Sosuke had no opening to get alongside one of them into the first corner. Makoto's start was poor, and he was instantly passed by Momo, who could then think about attacking Nagisa. Rin, Haru and Sosuke remained close for the opening lap, and then, at the start of the second, Momo lined up a move on Nagisa at the end of the start-finish straight – but he went too deep and pushed Nagisa and himself into the grass. That promoted Makoto to fourth, with Ai, Gou and Seijuro squabbling a couple of seconds behind.

If there was someone on track who wouldn't be sliding through the sharper corners, that would be Rei. The sound of screeching tyres wasn't pretty. It was clear that he was not going to hold on to the battle ahead... and would struggle to keep Nagisa and Momo behind him after their excursion. Ahead though, Rin, Haru and Sosuke were starting to happily slide around. Makoto and Ai's styles were tidier, but still much braver than Rei's – the two had similar pace, and Makoto maintained his lead over the Samezuka racer, who was putting in a small gap into Gou and Seijuro.

Sosuke had spent the first three laps of the race trying to pass Haru, who, in turn, was putting Rin under pressure. Haru started going less deep into the corners as Rin pulled away slightly. Sosuke knew laps were running out if he was to take on his childhood friend, so, on the fourth lap, he decided it was time to make a serious move on Haru. He looked to the inside at the end of the backstraight, the fastest point on the circuit, but didn't attempt to outbrake his adversary.

“Come on, Sosuke, you've got to do this!”, Sosuke muttered to himself. The next corners were the twisty “escargot” section, in which Sosuke remained very close to Haru, forcing him to take defensive lines. The Iwatobi racer continued to defend as the track sped up towards the final hairpin.

Makoto was still close enough behind the two to have a perfect view of what happened next. Sosuke had a better run out of the final left-hand bend and pulled alongside Haru, who was roughly in the middle of the track. Sosuke knew he would lose out in the hairpin if he had to stick to the tightest line, so he moved left. Haru didn't budge, so the two made contact. The touch jolted Haru into moving away, but Sosuke continued to move left. He bumped Haru a second time, and a third, nearly pushing him onto the grass and the pit entry. It didn't go that far, as now Sosuke, having won his tug-of-war on the straight, felt confident enough to outbrake Haru, who offered no more resistance.

“Wow, Sosuke's feeling pushy”, thought Makoto.

On the final lap, the duel between Rin and Sosuke was poised, if the latter could make up the time he had lost fighting Haru. Rin looked over his shoulder on the main straight and saw that he was no longer being followed by kart number 9. “That's a pity”, he thought, “still, Sosuke is no pushover... I can't let up!”

Rin pushed on and lost only a little time to Sosuke, who set the fastest lap of the race on the final tour. Haru sat back and took third, ahead of Makoto and Ai. Seijuro, who had noticed Nagisa and Momo catching back up, got distracted and ran into the back of Gou in the slower section on the final lap, gifting sixth and seventh to the two who had collided earlier. Seijuro felt very silly, and repeatedly bowed his head and shouted “sorry!” to Gou, who just drove off to the finish. A sluggish Rei picked up ninth as his Samezuka counterpart delayed in leaving the grass verge.

The ten racers returned the go-karts to pit lane, where Rin was congratulated on his win. The newspaper asked for a picture of the top three on the little podium installed in the track's reception room. Rin and Sosuke posed with another fist bump, while Haru looked away slightly and grumbled “I should have let Makoto through.” Rin turned towards him and gave him a pat on the back, to which Haru responded with a handshake.

It was now just past 5 PM. Everyone had time to return to their motorhomes and change before going into town all together for a meal.

 

_Late evening._

It was pretty much the first chance the ten youngsters had had to spend time together since the Nationals over a year earlier. There was so much to talk about: Makoto's studies in Tokyo, Rin's activities in Australia, Ai's captaincy at Samezuka, embarrassing anecdotes Nagisa had about Rei, Seijuro's senior swimming career taking flight with an eye on the 2016 Olympics...

The evening flew by, and, having enjoyed a fine meal, they took the tram back to the football stadium situated just inside the Tertre Rouge corner. Inside the village, where manufacturers, sponsors and the media were preparing their stands for the week ahead, the two teams would split up to return to their hospitality areas: five one way, five the other. Rin saluted Nagisa, Makoto, Rei and Gou, but asked Haru if he would walk with him on a third path, down the middle. “I want to talk... about swim things”, he said.

Walking towards the pits with his rival, Rin went straight to his point.

“I want to understand what you said on the podium earlier.” Haru remained silent. “Well?”

“What are you talking about? I didn't say anything to you”, responded Haru, sternly.

“That thing about letting Makoto through.”

“To get him on the podium rather than me”, replied Haru, trying to shrug the question off. “I just had an overdose of media attention today.”

Rin stopped in his tracks and questioned Haru further. “But if it had been someone else?”

In turn, Haru slowed. “Same if it had been Nagisa. I don't see your point.” He began to walk on again, but Rin wouldn't give up. He sensed that Haru was on the defensive.

“Haru, I've wanted to ask you...” Haru stopped and turned back towards Rin, who continued to look for his words.

“I've wondered for some time now, and... and I really don't understand... I mean I can't make sense of it, it's so unlike you... Why are you here?”

Haru gasped, then looked away with a serious face.

“I could ask you the same thing”, he replied. “You're not here just to beat me at everything I do, are you?”

“Well, to be honest”, said Rin, “I heard you guys were getting back together and doing this, so I just thought I'd like to join in. It's something different and I'm enjoying it: the testing in Japan, the practice here, the go-kart race... So I'm here because of you, but not to specially beat you. I'm driven to beat you in the pool, where it matters, but not here.”

There was a short pause, before Rin reiterated his question.

“So, there. You know. What about you?”

It was a fact that he had been convinced to try motor racing by his friends' enthusiasm more than his own. He had merely followed them, seduced by the perspective of forming a team with them once again. Sure, he was having fun, the whole motor racing thing was interesting and he was actually not bad at it, but it was still unimportant. The hiccup was, he had become important. He was faster than his friends, and it was his times in America that had in turn convinced the manufacturer to take them on. If he turned down taking part, he would probably have deprived Makoto of something he wanted to have a go at.

It was a fact that he was tired from all the media work the day had brought. He could put up with it as a swimmer, because it meant that he would continue to swim. But he clearly felt that, for the interest he had for motor racing, the posing wasn't worth it. He was a waste on that podium, while someone who he knew would have appreciated the experience of the post-race ceremonies, even if it was just for a meaningless go-kart race, was just behind him. Another chance, in the endurance races, was not forthcoming. He truly felt that he had deprived Makoto of something he would have enjoyed.

“Makoto...”, thought Haru. “I am here for Makoto.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have had a MakoHaru tag from the start, really. Because how this friendship - and it will remain a friendship, at least in the story; like in _Free!_ , what happens off-screen is up to you - plays out will be pivotal for the team.
> 
> If you've made it this far, congratulations: the set-up is over! From here on in, the racing gets serious and will reveal more of what the boys want to get out of this experience.


	7. TLM Qualifying Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may (or may not) have noticed that Rei has stopped calling Haru 'Haruka-senpai'. The main reasons behind that are that it's too long for radio communications, and that Rei and Gou are in a position to give direct orders to their drivers. So no matter how cool a "push, senpai!" order would sound, 'senpai' is out the window.  
> Not to mention that Haru hates suffixes in the first place. He's also still conscious of his first name, so Makoto suggested that he enter as 'Haru Nanase'. This explains Makoto's autocorrect in chapter 1, and why no-one in the motor racing world calls Haru 'Haruka'.
> 
> With that, we move on to the Thursday qualifying session, in which you'll find how I have written the racing sequences: one eye on the team, and one eye on the leaderboard.

_Qualifying drivers' briefing, main directives._

Unlike last year, there are only two sessions, from 6 PM to midnight, today [Wednesday] and tomorrow. This is to allow for more long-distance practice with the new cars. The fastest times from each car will decide the starting order for the race.

Most directives given out during the Test Days still apply. The major difference is that some cars will be running extra fast to set their qualifying times.

Blue flags will only be systematically shown to X2 competitors being followed by X1 cars. Nonetheless, expect X2 cars on flying laps to hold their lines.

Cars practicing race pace must exercise caution if approached by a car on a flying lap.

There will be no “Code 60/Slow Zone” testing in qualifying. If a serious incident occurs, the session will be stopped. Strictly no overtaking under red flags, and return to the pits immediately. Stoppage time will be lost due to the change of qualifying format.

A few beginner drivers still haven't logged enough night laps, due to technical issues during the Test Days. The concerned teams should give these drivers priority in the cars after 10 PM.

 

**Le Mans, France, Thursday 11 th September 2014: TLM Qualifying Day 2**

The first day of qualifying had mostly been a practice day for the Iwatobi Racing Team. More adjustments were made to the car, as the three drivers adjusted their regular pace, the one they would have to be comfortable with for 24 hours. Fast enough to be relevant, but soft enough to preserve the hardware. They had also made progress in the exchanges, and for the pit crew, loaned by the manufacturer, changing tyres and refuelling had also become routine. On the morning of the second day of qualifying, the mechanics took parts of the car off to train for some replacements they may need to perform quickly during the weekend: bodywork, brakes, suspension parts, lights... Haru looked on as he discussed set-up with Makoto and a couple of engineers. On the previous day, he had placed the car 11th with a 3'43.7, two seconds behind the best. This was consistent with the overall improvement of the pack since the Test Days. But Nagisa and Makoto were slower than Haru by a the best part of a couple of seconds, putting them level with Samezuka's best times.

Rei didn't expect their position to hold for long on the second day. The first day had been calm for most teams, but his analysis of how the cars were behaving told him clearly that everyone could go much faster on a single lap. Talk in the paddock was that most teams would make a “push for pole” early in the Thursday session, aim for a time in the area of 3 minutes and 40 seconds, and then settle for race rhythm and night practice for the rest of the time available. With the timing papers in his hand, the tactician came down from pit wall and into the garage. “Haru, may I talk to you out the back, please?”, he asked, seriously. Makoto was puzzled, but Haru obliged.

Behind the garage building, there was less commotion, less roving journalists who might interrupt a discussion. And Rei wasn't sure how Haru would react to his request.

 

Early in the Wednesday session, Rei had tried to keep regular radio contact with Haru on his performances, as he was doing with Makoto and Nagisa. After a few calls, Haru got a little aggravated. “I don't want a blow-by-blow, Rei, just tell me if something's not right.” Back in the pits, he had reiterated. Rei had just handed him a sheet with his sector times, and told him that he could get these as they came in rather than wait for nearly an hour to see the results.

“No, just let me drive, Rei. I'll ask you for something if I have a question, and you tell me if something is going wrong. We can go over the rest afterwards.” If that. Haru wasn't interested in his individual performances. With no ambition for the race, and already much faster than his team-mates, he felt no urge to change the way he drove, and saw no reason to change the way he managed his training.

To Haru, it was the same as swimming: you don't get told how each of your turns are immediately. You swim the distance and get the verdict when your run is over. Then you talk about a possible improvement and try again. So if Rei wanted Haru to do something different, the best time to say it would be before he got in the car, because the swimmer viewed a stint as one undividable performance.

 

“Haru, I'd like you to try something else today”, said Rei, fidgeting with his papers. “You're clearly the right person for this.” He stopped flicking through the timing sheets and looked Haru in the eyes.

“I want you to qualify.” Haru remained silent. Rei wasn't sure that his driver had understood what he meant.

“I mean I want you to take a few laps, something like five, to push as hard as you can and that'll be our time for the grid.”

“I get it”, replied Haru. “But aren't we supposed to be not worrying too much about times?”

“I know we just want to finish, but if this ends up to be our only outing here, let's at least make the most of it. Also everyone's going to speed up today, I'm certain...” Rei was anxious. “I... I don't want us to start too far back if we can avoid it. You do have something in reserve, right? In terms of effort on one lap?”

“I can't say how much, but, yeah, I can go faster if you want.”

That was as good as a “yes, I'll qualify” for Rei. Nagisa and Makoto, who were slower anyway, could remain focused on their race pace. Rei and Haru returned to the garage, and set the blue and white ME Four-Twelve to a slightly more aggressive configuration.

 

_***_

_**6:00 PM – Part two of qualifying for the 2014 Toon Le Mans is GO!** Green light at the end of pit lane, and the queue of cars headed by the #21 T-Rex Shelby gets moving. _

Rei asked Makoto to take the car out first. It would get the car warmed up, and Makoto could say if he was comfortable with the adjustments. Then, Haru would get his flat-out run before the sun started to set. The track was very busy, as most teams were on the same strategy: send someone out to confirm the set-up, then put their fastest driver in to qualify.

“The car should be a little stiffer, Makoto”, remarked Rei on the radio, after a few laps.

“It is”, was the reply from the car. “It feels like it's going through the corners faster, and the rear is more twitchy on the exits. I actually slid out of the Dunlop last time!”

Haru was using the second set of headphones to listen to Makoto's comments. Over the first half an hour, Makoto's times were in agreement with his previous session. It looked like he could handle it over the length of a stint.

_**6:32 PM – PEUGEOT TO THE FRONT!** With 3'40”715, Fantasio is already testing the all-important 3'40 barrier... No-one else out there is setting similar times just yet. _

Makoto was speeding up as the fuel load diminished. Cars around him were also getting quicker and less inclined to politely let him through if he showed himself. He had to use the slipstream to get past an X1 car whenever he had the chance, while X2 cars were starting to cut him off going into corners, as they prepared for their qualifying runs too. Makoto was getting anxious about the traffic.

“Pit wall, is it time to hand over to Haru?”, he asked. Rei checked his watch.

“Two more laps at least please Makoto, Haru's not ready to board”, he answered, before turning to his dark-haired driver. “Confirm to the crew chief to get the softs out, and take on only 7 laps of fuel. That's how many flying laps you'll have: 7, plus pit out and pit in.”

“Seven flying laps it is”, confirmed Haru, who walked off to the garage to pick up his helmet and get in position to take over from Makoto. Nagisa took the second set of headphones.

_**6:36 PM – FOUR-MINUTE BARRIER SHATTERED IN X2.** As expected, James (Alfa Romeo #80) sets the fastest time in the slower class, with 3'58”463. Given the domination Team Rocket has shown here, that may already be enough for pole... _

_**6:38 PM – The faster drivers enter the scene in X1.** Scott Tracy has taken over the #11 Ford GT90, while Edd and Naruto Uzumaki prepare to get in the #19 Maserati and #7 McLaren respectively. X2 leader in this lap: Giovanni is next in the #80 Alfa. _

As the clock read 6:38, Makoto also came into the pits, and got out for Haru. The practice had paid off, as now they were capable of getting the driver change done in less time than a complete refuel. Actually, in this case, they were behind because the load would be light. When the door shut, the jacks came up and the two mechanics in charge of changing the tyres could get to work. The rules stated that wheels had to be changed one at a time. When that was done, Haru restarted the car and drove off. Makoto had gone into the garage to talk to Gou and the engineers.

On pit wall, Rei was eagerly anticipating the stint. “Time for the fireworks”, he said.

_**6:43 PM – FANTASIO DIPS BELOW 3'40!** 3'39”743 is the new time to beat! More teams are fielding their strongest links before nightfall: Arnold is about to take over the #16 Chrysler and I.M. Weasel is on his out-lap in the #25 Saleen. _

Haru spent the beginning of his session getting used to the new set-up, and pushing back some limits in some corners. He progressively increased his effort and started putting full sectors together, before backing off and giving himself a breather. He wasn't ready for an attack over a full lap, but he was getting there.

_**6:50 PM – Unscheduled stop for the Saleen.** On the team radio, Weasel was heard complaining about the brakes. The car is pushed into the garage for inspection. _

Rei could see the promising sector times on the timing screen. He started to add them up, and the result, the “ultimate time”, was looking quite competitive.

“Come on, Haru”, he thought. “Put those sector times together and we'll be looking at a top-ten!”

_**6:54 PM – The Saleen is back out, while Double-D flies to second.** The #19 Maserati clocks a 3'40”295, but it looks like Edd is ending his run on that. The Saleen is back out with new brake pads, our pit reporter tells us. _

The car wasn't getting a lot of time on the big screens, but every now and then, when the number 17 car appeared, Nagisa spotted it.

“He's using a lot of kerb, isn't he?”, Nagisa pointed out to Rei, who replied with a brief nod.

_**6:59 PM – The Iwatobi Chrysler leaps up to 5 th place!** With 3'41”200, TLM debutant Haru Nanase sets a scorching lap out of the blue! In X2, the Kias are running in formation. _

In the garage, Makoto rubbed his eyes and took a closer look at the screens in disbelief. Before he knew it, Gou, who was standing next to him, was hugging him and jumping around.

On pit wall, Nagisa was in awe. With a sparkle in his wide-open eyes, he gasped “Haru-chan, you hero...” Rei adjusted his glasses and grinned proudly. He had seen it coming. He wanted to congratulate his driver on the radio, but guessed that Haru probably wouldn't want it. Besides, he still had a couple more laps to work with. Would he go even faster?

 


	8. TLM Qualifying Part 2

_**7:00 PM – The top five after 1 hour.** Peugeot leads Maserati; the #11 Ford, the only other car sub-3'41, is in third. The #8 VW is fourth with yesterday's time, ahead of our surprise package, the #17 Chrysler, with a 3'41.2. Team Rocket leads X2 by 3.6 seconds. _

Further down pit road, on the Samezuka Mazda wall, Rin was sitting next to Seijuro, monitoring Ai's progress when Sosuke spotted Haru's performance.

“When the hell did THAT happen?!”, he shouted. Rin was both impressed and in shock. “He's driving like he's actually interested”, he thought, looking towards the Iwatobi garage.

_**7:02 PM – VW Kanto about to go on the attack.** Gary Oak (the purple #9) and Ash Ketchum (the yellow #8) take on light fuel loads and leave the pits almost at the same time. This is a two-car team, will we be seeing some slipstream assistance between them? _

To Rei's surprise, Haru made a radio call. “Butterfly, I got stuck behind traffic through Indy, this lap's spoiled. One left after this, am I right?”

“Confirm, Speedbird, one more qualifying lap after this one”, replied Rei. “I'll keep an eye out for what's ahead of you and tell you over the line. Great job so far.”

“Ok thanks, we'll talk times later.”

Next to Rei, Makoto and Gou had rejoined pit wall. Nagisa should have been getting ready to take over from Haru, but the excitement of the moment had him hooked.

“Rei-chan, can I do qualifying laps too?”, he begged.

“I'm thinking, Nagisa”, he answered. Unfazed, Rei moved out of the box to watch the cars go by. What category were they in? Were they potentially faster and therefore wouldn't get in Haru's way, or slowing down? He tried to assess what Haru would face on his last fast lap. Then Haru came by and Rei returned to his position.

“Speedbird, traffic looks ok, give it everything you've got. Pit wall out”, was his message.

 

_**7:07 PM – TB1 and Iwatobi improve!** Scott Tracy is now second, just half a tenth slower than the Peugeot, while Haru Nanase climbs to fourth with an impressive sub-3'41! Now we await the reaction of the VWs and the works Chrysler, Arnold is currently on a fast lap. _

The Iwatobi pit wall and garage erupted in applause when Haru's 3'40”725 appeared on the screens. Rei couldn't resist any longer and radioed in.

“Beautiful Haru, beautiful! You're in fourth place! FOURTH!”, he shouted.

“I guess that's good”, answered Haru. Makoto, who could hear the conversation on the second pair of headphones, laughed and added, “It's a pity the cameras were focusing on another car Haru, I would have loved to have seen that lap.”

“So would I”, said Haru. “Man, that was tiring!”

Rei called back. “Stay focused, Haru, don't drive too slowly or get in the way of others. Again, super job! Box this lap, no driver change because Nagisa-kun isn't ready.”

_**7:09 PM – X2: WAKKO WARNER PUTS PRESSURE ON THE ALFA!** With a 3'59.0, the #99 Yamaha is within a second of the lead! Currently third is the #52 MGM Kia on 4'02.6. _

Haru returned to the pits, got out of the car and headed to the garage, where he was greeted by his four smiling friends, Makoto, Nagisa, Rei and Gou, each more eager than another to give him a pat on the back or a hug. But Haru removed his helmet and blue balaclava, revealing an evidently weary face, and the excitement turned down a notch. Haru etched a light smile before walking by, over to chair in which he slumped after putting his helmet down on a nearby table.

“Is Haru-chan ok?”, asked Nagisa. Makoto smiled, and replied “he's just tired... You should get in the car and practice, Nagisa.” Rei agreed.

“Besides, didn't you want a qualifying run, Nagisa-kun?”, he added, before returning to his place on pit wall, while Nagisa donned his helmet, looking forward to his turn in the car. Makoto went over to Haru and sat next to him.

_**7:15 PM – MAYBACH TAKE THE LEAD!** Dexter's 3'39”581 is the new benchmark. Behind it, the #6 Digimon Cadillac is on the grass in the Porsche curves after contact with the #5 Team Titans Lamborghini. Local yellow means the VW push is postponed. _

After a while, Makoto went over to pit wall. Rei was a little worried.

“How is Haruka?”, he asked.

“Oh, just tired”, Makoto replied. “He really did himself in on that run. He's gone to lay in the bath for a while and recuperate before his night stint.” He paused, before adding “he's unbelievable, isn't he?”

“Yeah, those three laps were something”, said Rei, before noticing a somewhat stern look on Makoto's face. “Are you ok?”

“I'm in two minds”, he answered. “Of course, what he did was great, but at the same time... He's not that interested in racing, yet there he is, pushing like mad... Even without that run, he's so far ahead... of me and Nagisa. I'm not sure I understand why.”

“You'll catch up”, Rei reassured. “We're all beginners and learning at our own pace. Take the positives, this car is dynamite! Nagisa-kun is going faster than earlier, and when he finishes, take over and try pushing a little harder yourself.” He gave Makoto an encouraging pat on the back, punctuated by a reassuring “you'll improve”, before facing his timing screens with a serious look.

“Although driving like Haru looks like a big ask”, he whispered to himself.

 

_**7:24 PM – The VWs are going for it!** A 3'40.5 promotes Gary Oak to fifth, and he slows to pick up his team-mate to assist him on the next lap. Spirou is now in the Peugeot. _

_**7:28 PM – The X2 field accelerates.** The #50 Alpine and the #88 Volvo dip below 4'02 in close succession. No worries for Jessie though, the Alfa star is sitting pretty in the garage. _

_**7:32 PM – ASH KETCHUM CLOCKS A 3'38!** 3'38”832, what a lap! Looks like that is all from the VWs for now. We await Spirou's fast laps, and can anyone else get near? _

_**7:41 PM – Spirou's answer falls short.** With 3'39”004, the Peugeot can't take the lead away, but looks a good bet for second now as the field starts to calm down. Meanwhile, Hazuki in the #17 Chrysler sets a personal best before spinning at the Dunlop chicane. _

_**8:00 PM – The top five after 2 hours.** Sun has set, and the teams are settling into a practice rhythm again. We're heading for a Volkswagen & Peugeot front row, with Maybach and Ford on row 2. The #19 Maserati is 5th, and Alfa look set to take X2 pole. _

 

 ***

 **TOON LE MANS QUALIFYING PRACTICE CLASSIFICATION** (after the two sessions)

Practiced: 35 (24 X1, 11 X2)

1\. VAG Kanto 8 - #8 Volkswagen Nardo - A.Ketchum/Misty/Brock - 3'38"832

2\. Journal Spirou Peugeot Sport - #23 Peugeot Onyx - Spirou/Fantasio/Zorglub - 3'39"004

3\. DMLR - #3 Maybach Exelero - Dexter/Mandark/Dee Dee - 3'39"581

...

7\. Iwatobi Racing Team - #17 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve - H.Nanase/M.Tachibana/N.Hazuki - 3'40"725

14\. Samezuka Academy Mazdaspeed - #22 Mazda Furai - R.Matsuoka/S.Yamazaki/A.Nitori - 3'42"702

...

25\. (1st X2) Team Rocket Alfa Corse - #80 Alfa Romeo TZ3 - Jessie/James/Giovanni - 3'58"463

26\. (2nd X2) Warner Bros. & Sis. - #99 Yamaha OX99-11 - Y.Warner/W.Warner/D.Warner - 3'59"089

27\. (3rd X2) Alpine Looney Tunes - #50 Alpine-Renault A110-50 - B.Bunny/D.Duck/P.Pig - 4'01"433

 

***

**COMMENTATOR'S COMMENTS: DEJA VU?**

_It's as if the technical overhaul never happened. The VW/Audi Kanto and Spirou Peugeot teams will share the front row of the 2014 Toon Le Mans on Saturday, just as they did last year. We could be tempted to expect a repeat of the 2010 duel, given that the VW Nardo won the race back in the Concept Car era, and that the Peugeot Onyx is basically a podium-scoring 908 with a hybrid system and different bodywork. We may well be celebrating the first triple TLM winners come Sunday, but the race is far more open than the qualifying times and that statement suggest._

Does this mean that it's “mission accomplished” for the rule-writers as we prepare for the first TLM with the new rules and its Balance of Performance (BoP)? Well no. Despite continued calls for weight breaks from some established (works) teams, caution was still being exercised when tweaking the BoP in the build-up to the race. This caution was criticised at the Technical Verifications last weekend, and the most vocal teams are using the qualifying results as confirmation of their worries. Team7 McLaren's Kakashi Hatake has gone as far as to say he believes the GT-style machines are being held back against the more spectacular cars. But a quick look at what the Mazda Furai, arguably the most radical new addition to the grid, has been doing seems to disprove that. Newcomer Samezuka's principal, Seijuro Mikoshiba, confirms that his drivers feel hampered by a lack of straight-line speed, which, at Le Mans, is evidently unforgiving and “spoiling the experience for [them] somewhat”, although the real worry for Mazda has to be the hours spent in the garage during qualifying (two on Wednesday, another one yesterday) as they get over teething problems on the brand-new car.

Besides the politics, we have enjoyed a thrilling battle in qualifying. While some had feared that the acceleration boost of the hybrid system on the Peugeot Onyx might make Spirou untouchable, and indeed he set the fastest top speeds of anyone by 5 km/h, his car has aero restrictions to compensate for it and Ketchum capitalised in the corners. But write the rest of the field off at your own risk. Looking at the times beyond the "push for pole", and taking into account that this is the first race with the new cars, it makes sense to believe that the opening hours of tomorrow's race will be close and conservative. There are some quick, experienced and clever trios in the top six who will exploit any mishap from a rival. Behind them, look out for a possible duel between the Chryslers: Haru Nanase in the #17 privateer ME Four-Twelve was one of the surprise packages of the week, outqualifying his manufacturer-backed counterparts in the #16. Even though Arnold has repeated that his team is focused on developing a candidate for victory in 2015, he must be at least a little eager to put the beginners in their place. Beyond the top 10, the McLaren, Shelbys and Citroëns, seemingly slower but displaying decent reliability, may also provide an upset or two if the frontrunners prove too fragile.

Nothing is a done deal in a 24-hour race, so trust me, this race is wide open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "Commentator's Comment" section is a feature I've worked on to give some body to the racing series beyond whatever Iwatobi and Samezuka do, as if to say "this is what people around the paddock are talking about this weekend".  
> Like the standings, I'll only include these reports partially. In this case, it serves to introduce the Balance of Performance (basically, more powerful cars are made to be heavier and have less downforce to handicap them in the corners - this is a real thing in most GT championships in the world today), which is in its early days in the AERS, hence some dissatisfactions for the moment, and say a little more about what to expect for the race.


	9. One last swim

**Le Mans, France, Friday 12 th September 2014**

Haru had been swimming for nearly an hour. He was glad to have got away from the autograph session in pit lane half-way through. Basking in the late morning light that shone down on the pool via the glass roof, carving into the water unhindered as only he knew how, he was relaxed, in his element again, after two evenings spent strapped in the racecar. He needed this, and his next chance would only be on Monday.

He paused at the end of the pool and caught his breath for a bit, then the swimmer in the lane to the left did the same. Haru looked left and gasped.

“Yamazaki?!”, he called. Sosuke turned towards him.

“Nanase”, he said, pushing his goggles down around his neck. “I can't say I'm surprised to see you here.”

“Why aren't you at the track? How long have you been here?”, Haru interrogated.

“Long enough to see that your place is here. You've lost nothing of your grace, Nanase, I'll give you that”, he replied, pulling himself out of the pool. “Mind you, you can sure turn a few tricks with the steering wheel too. And then you say you're not taking your driving seriously...”

“I only drive fast”, was Haru's laconic response, looking up at Sosuke, who had lost nothing of his imposing, muscular stature. “And who talked to you about that?”

“Rin, obviously. He was very surprised at what you did last night. And I was too.”

Sosuke put his goggles back on and got into position to dive. Before he lunged forward, he quickly let out, “but unlike Rin, I want to beat you at this.”

Haru turned as quickly as he could, and started to exaggerate his stroke. He caught up with Sosuke and stayed beside him until he stopped again.

“So you're taking this more seriously than Rin?”, Haru pointed out, breathing a little heavily.

“Rin's like you, he's got other priorities”, answered Sosuke, looking back at the water. “But for me, the dreams of glory in the pool are gone. This works racing programme with Mazda is like a second chance. We won't win this Sunday, we're too slow on the straights, but I'll be patient. Three years is long enough to build a strong team in a strong car. I'm going to make sure that the right choices are made for us to succeed.” He got out of the pool again, walked over to the side to grab his towel, turned back to Haru and added, “and yes, if you are still around next year, that means that I intend to beat you.” He smiled a soft smile. “Like I intend to beat everyone else.”

Sosuke looked at the clock. “We should go, the others will be in town soon.”

“Yeah, I guess”, sighed Haru.

In the showers, Sosuke continued to discuss racing with Haru.

“So, I guess you'll be starting tomorrow.”

“I don't know, I haven't thought about it”, answered Haru. “That's Rei's job.”

“Your team-mates are much slower than you, and they make more mistakes”, remarked Sosuke. “It would be a pity to see a car start so high only to watch it fall back. You're the logical choice, and, as I remember, Ryugazaki isn't a man who makes illogical decisions.”

Haru tried to brush away the conversation. “We've made our point in terms of performance. Now we want to finish.” He noticed Sosuke stretching his right arm. “How is it, racing with your shoulder, Yamazaki?”

“It's ok”, frowned Sosuke. “I've let it recover for a year, and racing doesn't put the same strain on it as swimming.” He paused, frowning further. “By the way, I haven't swum butterfly since I lost us that relay.” He looked back up, letting the water run down from his forehead through his hair. “Which is why... I'm not going to let the team down this time.”

_1:00 PM, Le Mans City Hall._

The drivers, together with their tacticians, had a special briefing for the race, in one of the City Hall's smartest rooms. This was the biggest briefing of the year, because not all the teams went to all the races. Sitting at the front desk and facing the others were the five senior drivers who had been elected after the first race of the year to represent the drivers before the organisers. Three drivers from X1, two from X2. Three works drivers, two privateers. Three men, two women. Two from America, two from Japan, one from Europe. Penelope Pitstop, Jessie, Spirou, Gary Oak and Fred Flintstone. They would take turns to talk and answer questions about different aspects of the upcoming race.

The atmosphere was a little tenser than the previous meetings, as the qualifying sessions had delivered their verdict, and some teams once again voiced their disapproval of the current Balance of Performance, destined to make the cars as even as possible, but which was failing to do so according to them.

“We need an adjustment before the next race!”, one race engineer claimed. The organisers that were present refused.

“Donington is a high-downforce track and we want to see how the current situation reflects there. There will be changes for Suzuka, we guarantee it, but not before.”

All of this went well over Haru's head. Nagisa and Makoto were trying to look as if they were grasping what the discussion meant. But Rei was listening intently. This was something he had to understand. Basically, cars had been assigned minimum weights and aerodynamic restrictions depending on how powerful their engines were. Then, depending on how cars performed at different tracks, these constraints could be changed. The risk was obvious: a team could be sandbagging, that is, running within their abilities, so that the next Balance of Performance adjustment could go in their favour. It came to a point where the works Chrysler team was accused of sandbagging. After all, Arnold, an able racer with ten years' experience, had been outqualified by a rookie using the same car.

The debate was cut short by Gary Oak before it got too nasty, and he insisted that this was a matter for engineers and organisers to discuss after the race. The day's topics would come from discussions between the senior drivers and the stewards, the people who were in charge of making sure that the rules were adhered to.

Their first target was track limits abuse: gaining a time advantage or overtaking a competitor by using a tarmac run-off. Modern tracks had a lot of those, and, because they are completely forgiving when a driver goes off the track, it could be tempting to use them. The stewards made their stance before the race and announced they would be inflexible. Driving standards flags would give a car a first warning to stop abusing track limits, then, if the infringements continued, a hefty one-minute stop-and-go penalty would be handed out. An important note is that this applied to each _car_ , and not to each _driver_ : if a second driver continued to abuse track limits after taking over from a driver who got a driving standards warning, the second driver wouldn't get a warning flag, and would go straight to the stop-and-go stage of the punishment ladder.

Driving standards warnings would also be handed out if a driver was deemed at fault for a collision when overtaking, either for position or when lapping, which is very common in a race with several classes of car. Most other directives that had been discussed before were still worth reminding: caution when approaching a slower car, yellow flags and the new Slow Zones, and so on.

When it looked like the meeting was coming to an end, Spirou started to speak.

“Now, before we go, there's something very, very important we have to talk about.” The other senior drivers laughed. “Yes, it is for the Gala”, added Spirou, with his strong gallic accent. “Some of you are new this week, so I explain. Every year, we have a day and evening together just before a race. In the afternoon, there is a little event with cars, for example this year it was historic car racing in America, with sportscars from the 50s, which was a lot of fun, very different, and the year before we did a little rally stage in England at Goodwood. Then in the evening, there is a big meal and party.” A few giggles came from the crowd. “Yes, with drinks”, chuckled Spirou, “and this happens on the Wednesday before a race, except Le Mans because Le Mans is already a busy week. So party on Wednesday, Thursday you recuperate... from the drink, haha... and we go racing on Friday again. Now, the party for this year's drivers takes place next year, but we have to make a suggestion to the organisers now, because at Le Mans, everybody is here, and everybody here is going to be invited. We don't have a calendar for 2015 yet, but we make our proposal now on the basis of the race programme we expect. I add, for people who might not take part in the race where the Gala is, you can still come for the Gala. Your trip can be paid for by a sponsor or the organisers themselves so you can come. Now, to my point: we, the seniors, have talked about the Gala this week, and would like to propose that we do it in Germany next year, in May at the Nürburgring if it is confirmed on the calendar, and we would have support from BMW, who would supply the cars for the racing event, which would be a time trial around the big Nordschleife circuit.”

Drivers started clapping. It was obviously a good idea to them, but, once again, the Iwatobi boys were completely lost. They didn't even know this party existed until just then. Makoto, Rei and Nagisa had heard of the Nürburgring, but didn't know what the big circuit was. Makoto gave Rin, who was sitting not far away, a puzzled look. Rin returned it. Samezuka didn't have much more of a clue. When the clapping died down, Spirou concluded.

“Well, that sounds like agreement to me. So... session ajourned. Shall we move outside for the class photo?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this before the OVA, so yeah, Sosuke isn't as cool with Haru as maybe you'd like. But at least he's talking now.
> 
> The Gala I have in mind is sort of a "Race of Champions"-esque event and the prize-giving party all rolled into one day. As indicated, Iwatobi and Samezuka are invited to the Nürburgring 2015 Gala... when I get there! (EDIT - it's published now: _FastER!_ chapters 6-7)


	10. The hot potato

_Late evening, in the Iwatobi motorhome lounge._

Makoto closed the laptop after a refreshing talk with his family. On the other side of the world, his parents and younger siblings had been impressed with the boys' performance in qualifying, and wished them luck for the race. It was early Saturday morning in Japan, and the race would begin at 10 PM that evening in their time zone. The Tachibanas would host a small group to support the team: Goro Sasabe, the coach in charge of the Iwatobi Town Swim Club Returns; Makoto's middle-school friend Kisumi Shigino and his younger brother Hayato, whom Makoto had taught to swim; Miho Amakata, the high school teacher who had supervised the swimming club; and Nagisa and Rei's parents. The youngest spectators, Ren, Ran and Hayato, would only be allowed to watch the first hour and would then have to go to bed, much to their disappointment.

Nagisa was snoozing in an armchair on the other side of the room, while Rei was finishing a phone call to his parents just outside. Gou had already gone to bed. Haru was sitting next to Makoto on the sofa, staring pensively and blankly ahead.

“Well, that was really nice”, said Makoto. “It's great to know all the guys in Iwatobi are gathering to watch us. Do you know what your parents are doing, Haru?”

“No”, was the short answer from Haru.

“It surprises me that you don't talk to your parents that much”, continued Makoto.

“I never talk to them before a competition. I prefer it that way, and they're used to it.”

Haru's expression was fixed; he was still just staring sternly ahead. Finally turning to look at him, Makoto sensed something wasn't right.

“You're nervous, aren't you Haru?”

No answer.

“What's on your mind?”, insisted Makoto, nudging his friend with his elbow. Haru sighed.

“The start”, he said. “We should decide who's going to start the race tomorrow.”

Makoto brought his hand up to his chin in thought. He didn't think for long though.

“Well, you're the fastest driver”, he said. “It probably makes sense that you start.”

“I thought you'd say that”, replied Haru, sounding disappointed. “I bet the whole world's expecting me to start. They'll all be watching. Probably comparing with my swimming results.” There was an uneasy pause.

“Haru...”, said Makoto, softly. “No-one's going to do that. Gou showed us few press articles on the tram going into town. They talk about you, sure, because no-one had expected you to qualify 7th, but that's all. It's surprising because it's our first visit. No-one's comparing with your swimming and everyone's just very impressed.”

 

At that point, Rei came into the room, putting his phone in his pocket.

“My parents are going to watch the start with yours, Makoto”, he pointed out.

“I know”, Makoto answered, “looks like it's going to be a bit of a party.”

“Yeah, well, it will be as long as we don't crash in the first 15 minutes!”, Rei laughed. “Which reminds me, we should probably talk about who's going to have the privilege of starting tomorrow.” Makoto giggled nervously.

“Well, funny you should say that”, he replied gingerly. “Haru and I were just thinking...”

“I don't want to”, interrupted Haru, firmly.

“Don't want to... talk about it now?”, enquired Rei, hopefully.

“No, I don't want to start”, reiterated Haru.

“Oh”, went Rei, adjusting his glasses. “That's... unfortunate. I've been going over everyone's times, and I think you were the logical choice. As the fastest driver, you'd maximise our position over the first hour. It would be a shame to just fall back...”

“I know”, Haru interrupted again. “Sosuke said the same thing.”

“What? When did you speak to Sosuke?”, asked Makoto.

“This morning at the pool”, replied Haru. “But my point is, I thought we were here to finish. Who cares if we finish 2nd or 22nd?”

“It would be nice to finish as high as possible, Haru”, continued Makoto. “At least, I think so, right Rei?”

“Well of course!”, Rei confirmed. Haru went on the counter-offensive.

“How about this: whether I drive the first stint or the second, what difference does it make in total over the first two stints?”, he asked. “We either fall back in the first, or fall back in the second. I don't see the point of me starting.”

Rei moved his hand up to his glasses, his typical thought pose.

“Hmm, well apart from the media exposure, you do have a point”, he noted. “Also, maybe you'll be more effective once the race has settled down and there are less cars around you. The start is pretty busy actually. There's a lot of defending to do, and you all lack experience in racing other cars.”

“Good”, said Haru, sitting back in the sofa, “I'll take the second stint.”

“So the start's going to need someone who is comfortable with pack racing, but again, good pack racing requires good pace, so Haruka is still probably...”

“Look”, butted in Haru, sounding more aggressive, “I did what you asked me to in qualifying. This racing thing is your idea, you two. I would have thought Makoto would be eager to taking the start.”

“Aha, well I guess”, hesitated Makoto, “but Rei's made an interesting point about the start being busy, and I'm not too comfortable with cars all around me...”

“I noticed that at the end of your first run in practice yesterday”, said Rei. Haru was quite annoyed by now.

“I don't get it”, he said, placing his head in his hands. “Makoto, you're the one who wanted to be here, I thought you knew what you were getting into and looking forward to it.”

“I am”, replied Makoto, defensively, “and I look forward to being part of the race, it's just that the start is really stressful. You're competition oriented and you can deal with the pressure, so I think you're the best starter.” Haru's temper started to flare. He turned to Makoto and looked him square in the eyes intimidatingly.

“Well I think YOU'RE the best starter because this is YOUR operation!”, he attacked.

“Haru, don't raise your voice!”, ordered Makoto. It did little to calm Haru down, as he was now grabbing Makoto's arm to keep him in check. Rei stood up but didn't know what to do.

“You wanted a race, you've got one!”, continued Haru, “I've put you up towards the front and you'd decline the chance to race these people you've been following?”

 

“Haru-chan, Mako-chan, please don't fight”, called a soft voice from the other side of the room. “I'll do it.”

Haru's grip on Makoto's sleeve loosened. Rei's shoulders fell with an onset of relief. They all turned around and saw Nagisa wide awake, sitting back in his chair.

“I'll do it. I'll take the start”, he repeated. Makoto was unsure.

“You... you don't have to... because we're not...”, he said with a voice still shivering from the intensity of his argument with Haru, who had now let go.

“ _Someone_ has to, Mako-chan, and I think I can take it”, replied Nagisa, who started to smile. “Plus, I think I'll enjoy it. I liked the battle with Momo-kun in the go-kart challenge.”

“Er, poor example, Nagisa, that didn't end very well, did it?”, recalled Makoto, who had seen the pair run off the track at the end of the first lap of that race.

“True, but that was his fault”, rejected Nagisa, “and the drivers around me will be more careful than him. Don't they want to get to the end too?”

“Good point, Nagisa-kun”, noted Rei. “You'll need to take it a bit easier than yesterday though, because you spun twice.” In all honesty, Nagisa was Rei's third choice for the start. He preferred either Haru, the fastest, or Makoto, the most applied.

Nagisa chuckled at the remark.

“Yeah, the car was quite twitchy out of the Dunlop chicane. Perhaps we should tune that down a little for the race”, he suggested. He got up from his chair and stretched his arms.

“Ah, time to go to bed. Big day tomorrow!”

“Sure, I won't be far behind you”, said Rei, who shared a bedroom with Nagisa.

“G... good night, Nagisa”, Makoto managed to stutter, while Haru just waved with his hand that just a minute earlier had been grasping his neighbour's shirt. The electric atmosphere had turned into awkwardness and ridicule.

“Well... that was... quicker than I expected”, stated Rei, again pressing his glasses in place. Whether it was a clumsy choice of words in the heat of the moment or sarcasm to rub it in, neither Makoto nor Haru could decide. They were in no mood to talk, and just looked shamefully down. They had really shown themselves up, and their junior had got the jump on them.

Haru had a third of a mug of tea on the table next to Makoto's laptop. He picked it up and finished it in one go, got up and walked off. “I'm going to bed too”, were his only words, leaving Rei and Makoto in the lounge.

With Haru gone, Makoto managed to talk.

“I just can't get my head around Haru lately”, he said quietly. “Usually I manage to understand him, but his attitude at this race is a complete mystery.”

“I'll admit I'm just as stumped”, concurred Rei. “What could Sosuke have said to him to put him in that mood?”

“It's not about Sosuke, I'm sure of that. It's his relationship to racing, I don't get it. Like I said yesterday, he's so good inside the car, then he shows no interest outside it.”

“Well, like he said, this was your idea. He probably thinks it's your right to start.”

“Yeah, I guess”, continued Makoto, thinking hard. “But that's not how he put it. He said he didn't want to start, not that he wanted me to.” He looked down and covered his eyes. The doubt was causing him some pain. Rei gave him a pat on the shoulder to reassure him.

“It's sorted now. I'm sure tomorrow things will go well. Get some sleep, you'll need it.”

With that, Rei left, but not without thoughts of his own. He still wanted to make sure that Nagisa hadn't felt forced to put himself forward. He felt that his room-mate was more error-prone than the other two, even if he was faster than Makoto, a sentiment he had try to convey in the discussion, but Nagisa had managed to answer back.

As for Makoto, he was unsure whether he should try to get his best friend to open up to him. Trying to patch things up might just make matters worse. He didn't know what to expect if he tried, but the question was there. “Why did you come here, Haru?”

_Rei and Nagisa's room._

When it came to niggling questions regarding Nagisa, Rei was straight to the point. As he sat on his bed, he spoke his mind.

“Nagisa-kun, I just want to be sure”, he began. “You didn't say you'd start to stop the fight, did you?”

Nagisa closed his eyes and sighed. “Maybe a little. It was painful watching Haru-chan lose his temper. But at the same time, it reminded me that we came here for a new experience. And I want to be a part of it as best I can.” He opened his eyes and turned towards Rei, etching a soft, reassuring smile. “I won't throw the car away, Rei-chan. But I have decided I'm going to make the most of this unique chance.”

Rei placed his glasses on the bedside table, and got in bed.

“Ok Nagisa-kun, you've convinced me”, he concluded, smiling as Nagisa moved to turn out the light.

_Haru and Makoto's room._

The two childhood friends had tucked themselves in silently. Makoto turned out the light. That was when Haru decided to speak.

“Makoto?”, he whispered. “I... I'm sorry I shouted at you.”

Makoto closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Haru”, he replied. “I'm sorry too, for being so insistant.” He paused, before adding, “it reminds me of the night before the first test when I was so nervous at taking the car out first. I should have known better than to press you like that.”

Clearly, in the darkness, a weight had lifted. So Makoto tried to get his answer.

“Haru”, he called. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah?”, answered Haru.

“I'd like to understand something.” Makoto tried to bring his question up gently. “How do it put it?... You're doing great, Haru, but I sense that maybe you're not enjoying it...” Haru butted in, and his words ended the conversation.

“I only drive fast. That's how I drive. That's what I'm here for, right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First hints of ReiGisa here, and how this relationship (again, close friendship) works will be made clear in the next chapters.
> 
> For anyone who's thinking "get on with the racing, already!", we're nearly there.


	11. TLM Pre-race

**Le Mans, France, Saturday 13 th September 2014: TLM Race Day**

“10th in warm-up, not bad”, said Rei to his drivers after the short morning session. “No mistakes, and good consistency. Keep it up!”

“Yes, and no mechanical problems”, continued Gou. “It would seem the car's holding up nicely too.”

Neither Chrysler had suffered any setbacks in practice and qualifying, which was a good sign. The same couldn't be said of other teams. After a near-perfect performance in qualifying, Peugeot had hit trouble with their hybrid system. The number 9 VW, which would start just ahead of the Iwatobi Chrysler, had required an alternator change. Excessive brake wear was an issue in many garages. And at Samezuka, the rotary engine was playing up; once again, Rin, Ai and Sosuke were stuck in the pits for a lengthy period.

The debrief couldn't drag on for long. The drivers needed to recuperate before the busy build-up to the big event. Haru headed for the bathroom to soak for a while. Water was of course essential for him to relax. Makoto and Nagisa went to see the masseurs. While on the table, Nagisa groaned with discomfort. He had been last to drive in the warm-up and was due in first for the race.

“Man, how are we going to last 24 hours like this, Mako-chan?”, he grumbled, as his the middle of his back was being worked on. “It's more physical than I expected.”

“I've not been feeling too bad”, replied Makoto.

“Well, you're slow”, noted Nagisa, a little carelessly, “and not using as much kerb. Driving over those things, damn! You really ache later.” He jolted as the masseur reached his shoulder. “Youch! Also, you've got stronger back muscles than I have...”

“My slowness isn't a problem”, responded Makoto. “Actually, I've been focusing on how to preserve the car, like not running over the kerbs.”

“Evidently it preserves the driver too”, giggled Nagisa. “I'll take note of that for later in the race.”

“Stay still please”, said his masseur.

“By the way Nagisa, how are you going to drive at the start?”, asked Makoto. His friend grinned.

“Maximum attack!”, he beamed, launching his fist forward. “I've been practicing my overtakes all morning, and I plan to take every chance to go forward that I can”, he continued, as the physician moved his arm back into place.

“Wow, you're feeling confident.”

“I can't let it be otherwise, Mako-chan”, continued Nagisa, flamboyantly. “If I hesitate, the guy behind me will just fly past. Also, I want to put Haru-chan in a position to show what he can do.”

“Haha, don't tell him that, he'll get mad!”, laughed Makoto. Nagisa turned serious again.

“Mako-chan”, he called softly, “he's not still angry at you, is he? I felt him a little cold this morning.”

“No, Nagisa, we talked it over last night, it's fine”, replied Makoto. “This morning, Haru was his usual self. He's always very quiet when he's focused.”

After a further ten minutes, Nagisa and Makoto walked along the upstairs corridor of the motorhome wearing just their towels, and got to Nagisa's room.

“Is that the time already?!”, noticed Makoto. “We've got to get Haru out of the bath and go to lunch!”

The pair ran to the next room and barged into the bathroom.

“Haru-chan, lunchtime!”, yelled Nagisa. Haru popped his head out from underwater. He wasn't amused.

“You could knock, guys”, he said.

“Why?”, questioned Nagisa. “If we knock, you'll just say 'don't come in' [imitating Haru's deeper voice], and then we'll come in anyway. Besides, you always bathe in your swimsuit, so it's not like we're going to...”

Haru dipped his head back underwater.

“HEY!”, shouted Nagisa, “I'm talking to you!” Makoto pushed him aside.

“Easy, Nagisa”, he said, “I'm clearly better at this than you.” Moving his head closer to the water, he continued. “Haru? It's already 12:15, and if you want something to eat before the parade, it's now.” Haru re-emerged.

“Do I have to be part of the parade?”, he asked.

“Erm, yeah... Sorry.”

“No parade, no race, Haru-chan! It's in the rules!”, jumped Nagisa.

“Well, it's not _that_ stringent, but it wouldn't mean as much to me if you weren't there, Haru.” Throughout that sentence, Makoto produced his unmistakable, irresistible smile. How could Haru decline with his friend looking so keen?

_1:30 PM._

With the half-hour _Coupe Lyoko_ race for youngsters over, the pre-race ceremonials could begin. As Makoto stepped out of the garage, he looked straight on at the grandstands as he had done weeks earlier. The crowd was there. Noticing someone in a race suit opposite them, some people started to wave in Makoto's direction. Looking left and right, he concluded that the waves were for him, so he smiled and briefly waved back, before turning around and going back inside.

“Wow Rei, have you seen the crowd?”, he exclaimed. “It's huge, just like the Nationals last year!” The race engineer smiled and simply remarked: “biggest race of the year!”

Rei took the opportunity to talk technical before Gou came along and whisked the boys off to the grid parade. “I've had a word with the engineers from both Chrysler teams. Things aren't as rosy as we'd imagined. The works guys are worried about turbo reliability, especially as there are four of them, that's more that can go wrong. Anyway, not of immediate concern, but we are going to switch to an engine map with lower maximum revs after the first few hours. You'll still have full power at the start, Nagisa-kun.”

“Good”, replied the driver, “I'll need it to defend the position.” At that moment, Gou arrived.

“Ok boys, time to go”, she chanted.

The four left Rei to continue making final preparations on the car. They would see him again on the grid, which was going to be formed while the drivers prepared their parade. Entering the track at the Raccordement, where the permanent Bugatti track meets the Ford chicane, they would be driven up the main straight in convertibles to the first corner, where a picture of the entire field of drivers would be taken, like a class photo.

The drivers assembled behind the pit building, chatting as they waited. In the crowd of well over 105, the Samezuka drivers found their Iwatobi rivals.

“Makoto! Haru!”, called Rin. “So, big moment coming up... I can't wait!”

“You're starting, I guess”, said Haru.

“Sure”, replied Rin, “we didn't get a really fair chance to take each other on in qualifying, with the problems our car has, so we settled it with a game of pool last night.”

“You went to the pool last night?”, asked Haru, very surprised.

“Haha, not _that_ kind of pool, Haru! 8-pool, the billiard!”, laughed Rin. Makoto, Nagisa and Ai laughed with him, while an amused Sosuke smiled.

“I know starting is stressful, Nanase”, he said, “but it's really getting to you by the looks of things!”

“I don't get what's funny”, answered a confused Haru, before adding “also, I'm not starting.”

Rin and Sosuke's eyes opened wide. “Then...”, “Who is?”, they enquired.

“I am!”, claimed Nagisa, proudly. In turn, Ai's expression turned to shock.

“Hazuki-kun?!”, he gasped.

“Wow. That's a surprise decision from Rei”, stated Rin. “No offence, but you'd have been my third choice: Haru's faster and Makoto makes less mistakes...”

“Hmm, that's a little mean”, complained Nagisa, “and actually, I volunteered so...”

The atmosphere between the six had no time to turn awkward.

“Ah, here you are, Nanase-kun!”, interrupted a voice as a hand landed on Haru's left shoulder. It was Naruto Uzumaki, the star driver from Team7.

“I missed you yesterday at the meeting”, he continued, putting forward his hand. “I just wanted to congratulate you on what you did Thursday. Very impressive! Don't take what Kakashi says about the car being advantaged personally, you're doing a really super job, _'ttebayo_. Hey, are you starting?” Haru shook Naruto's hand, but was drowning in the mass of sentences he'd just heard. So he simply answered the last question he was asked.

“No, Nagisa is”, he said, pointing at his blond friend.

Nagisa's eyes were wider than anyone else's had been in the previous conversation. He was just speechless, and Makoto knew why.

“Ah, er...”, mumbled Nagisa, “yeah, I... I'm starting.” Makoto smiled and nudged him, prompting him to hold out his hand.

“I'm a huge fan, Uzumaki-san!”, he managed to say as he bowed and shook the hand of the previous year's GT champion, who simply smiled.

“Cool, just don't let it get in your way when you race me!”, he advised. He looked at the Samezuka drivers. “Actually, I'm starting closer to you guys, aren't I?”

“Yes”, replied Sosuke, “we're one row behind you.”

“Ok, I'll keep my ears out for you, _'ttebayo_!”, concluded Naruto, referring to the distinctive sound the Mazda made, before waving and walking back to his team-mates. Nagisa was still in shock. Thus far, he had concentrated his excitement on the new experience of sportscar driving, and it bizarrely hadn't really occurred to him that he would share the track with a driver he admired. Makoto recalled how he had seen Nagisa cheer Team7 on behind the TV screen when they had watched the TLM the previous year.

“I'm sure you'll get a longer chat with him soon”, he smiled.

At that point, a steward came up to the group, and called the drivers of car 17 to their station. The three boys climbed into the back of a Chrysler 300E, a typical large American convertible from the late 50s, sitting on the retracted roof with their feet on the back seats. A hostess got in next to the driver, carrying a board with the drivers' names and car number. Everyone then had to wait another few minutes before being driven onto the home straight in starting order. The 1930s Auto Union, with polesitters Ash, Misty and Brock on board, was therefore the first to move, and the Iwatobi team appeared in the seventh car of the parade.

 

An extraordinary sight beheld them as they came out of the final chicane: while they had been talking and waiting behind the garages, the pit crews had rolled out the race cars and lined them up along the pit wall. On the other side of the track, the grid hosts, alternating women and men (as this was a mixed sport), were holding the national flags of the entrants. Behind the catch fence, the crowd applauded the competitors in anticipation for the show that was now just over an hour away. And all of this was under an immaculate blue sky. Being mid-September, the temperatures weren't too high, but it was still beautiful Indian summer conditions; ideal for motor racing. When the parade was level with the grid, Nagisa yelled out to Rei and Gou, who were watching, arms folded and gently smiling. The train of cars stopped at that point; the drivers had to get off and go over to their race vehicles and prepare for the ceremonial start.

Starting drivers were asked to don their helmets and gloves, and walk to their grid host opposite. There, they would re-enact the classical Le Mans start, running over to their cars and driving away. Nagisa found himself between Gary Oak and I.M. Weasel, two big names in the Series.

“So you've got the new guy behind you, Gary!”, remarked Edd, another established name, starting fifth.

“Yeah”, replied the VW driver, “it's always stressful not knowing what you're up against! Do you think he's a threat?”

“If he isn't, I will be”, intervened Weasel. “So who do you prefer, him or me?”

“I'd rather get ahead of Double-D”, laughed Gary.

“Me too”, agreed Nagisa.

“That's the spirit, kid!”, exclaimed Weasel, nudging his neighbour.

All the drivers were in place and the siren sounded to call them to attention. The head marshal was standing at the front of the line, and, at 2:15 precisely, he waved his green flag, and the drivers raced across to their cars. This was only for the show, as it set the drivers on to their sighting laps. After making sure he was strapped in correctly, Nagisa waited for a crew member to signal to them that it was safe for him to move, before pulling away with the 60 km/h speed limiter on. He was allowed to remove it on the run up to the first chicane.

At the end of the lap, he could choose to drive through the pits and have another sighting lap (until the pit lane closed at 2:30), or join the grid. Nagisa thus did two laps, one to run checks on the car's systems, and the second to do some last-minute reconnaissance. At the end of the second lap, he parked the car on the seventh grid slot. He got out and joined Makoto, Haru and Rei on the grass, near the catch fence, behind which the spectators had a fantastic view of their blue and white machine. Removing his helmet and gloves, he asked “how did the ceremonial start look?”

“Impressive”, replied Makoto, “it's like an army of drivers running towards you!”

There were still over twenty minutes before the warm-up lap would begin. As the grid formed with the cars having done three sighting laps joining, a reporter came up to the Iwatobi crew and asked for a few words from Haru: “I'm with the rookie who qualified seventh on the grid, Haru Nanase for the privateer Iwatobi Racing Team. Haru, how are you feeling before your first start here?”

“I'm not starting, Nagisa is”, was Haru's answer.

“But still, you're very happy with your starting position, right?”, asked the reporter.

“Well, yeah.”

“Ok, thank you Haru, a man of few words, it would seem. So how about you, Nagisa Hazuki? How are you feeling, getting ready to face off with the guys around you like Gary Oak and I.M. Weasel?”

“Sure, that's impressive company”, replied Nagisa, “but I'm confident, Haru-ch... er, Haru, has shown that the car has good pace, so I'm sure we can find a way forward.”

“Ok, thanks guys, the best of luck to you for your first TLM, and we hope to see you much, much later.” Nagisa waved for the camera accompanying the reporter as they moved on to another car. Makoto wasn't surprised at Haru's attitude during the brief interview, but he was also a little disappointed.

 

The atmosphere changed progressively as the moment approached. Some would start to worry that they hadn't got everything covered. More superstitous teams would begin accomplishing their good luck rituals.

Nagisa stood next to the car, with his helmet and gloves on the roof. He and Rei were going through the final technical talk, but the race engineer was clearly becoming more tense. While the mechanic they were talking with walked away as their conversation ended, he looked down and grasped his notepad anxiously.

“Nagisa-kun, I...”, he hesitated.

“Rei-chan?”, asked Nagisa, noticing his worry.

“Are you... nervous, Nagisa-kun?”, Rei continued. “It's going to be rough out there.” Nagisa gasped. He was taken aback by the sudden change of mood. He walked around the car's open door and gave Rei a hug, which surprised him a little.

“Maybe a little, Rei-chan”, he whispered. “But it'll be fine once I'm in the car and going. It always does that.” Rei grabbed Nagisa and held on tight.

“I just don't want anything bad to happen to you”, confessed Rei.

“You worry too much, Rei-chan. But I'm touched that you worry about me.”

Up and down the grid, the teams were starting to regroup to motivate their drivers. The Team Rocket drivers performed their usual pre-race (pre-anything, actually) routine. “Girl power!” could be heard as the Kanker sisters and the Powerpuff Girls high-fived at the back of the X1 grid. Rei and Nagisa joined Makoto, Haru and Gou on pit wall to huddle like they used to do when they were in the same swim club. “Iwatobi, aim for the top!”, shouted Gou and the five raised their hands from the middle of the circle.

A siren sounded, signalling the final three minutes before the warm-up lap would begin. It was time for the mechanics to close up any compartment on the car they may be working in, and put the wheels on if they weren't already. It was time for the starting driver to gear up and get in. Makoto made sure Nagisa's safety belts were done up correctly, then gave his driver a pat on the chest. Nagisa returned Makoto a thumbs up, and then, the door was shut. Further up the grid, Sosuke and Rin, who was already wearing his helmet and gloves, exchanged their trademark fist-bump, before Seijuro led the team in giving their starter some shouts of encouragement.

“Get 'em, Rin-senpai!”, yelled Ai, as Rin squeezed into the Furai, which had a tighter cockpit than most competitors.

 

One minute.

The engines could be started, and the grid had to be evacuated. The rumble of thirty-five engines rose between the pit building and the grandstands. The engineers and remaining drivers returned to their garages. The Iwatobi boys breezed past their Samezuka rivals along the way. Makoto and Haru walked to the garage, while Rei and Gou ran to their post on pit wall.

 

Thirty seconds.

In the car, Nagisa suddenly felt very alone. He had so far started from the pits, with at least some mechanics around him. Now, all he could see was his opponents ahead. In his mirrors, he could see the ones behind him, the ones that would be attacking him for position.

“Nagisa?”, called Gou on the radio. “Can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear, Gou-chan”, replied Nagisa. “Ten seconds to go.”

“Ok, remember, no overtaking and get some heat into the tyres”, reminded the manager.

 

_**2:53 PM – Formation lap underway.** The cars gently work their way up the Dunlop bridge. The start of the first TLM of the new Experimental era is now only 8 miles away..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last weekend, the real-life 24 Hours of Le Mans took place, and it was a total blast. So exciting, that I just know I'm going there next year!  
> Meanwhile, having listened to over 16 of the 24 hours, I've picked up a few hints that have led me to change a few details in the 2014 TLM that I'm about to deliver, the first of which is the duration of the formation lap (7 minutes, and not 6 like I had originally written). Hopefully there are no continuity issues with my edits.
> 
> The big moment is now upon us. Don't hesitate to leave a comment on how you feel the build-up to race day has been, and maybe place a bet on where you think/hope Iwatobi, Samezuka or any other team may end up...


	12. TLM Hour 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, a track map will come in handy.

The flags in the crowd flew higher as the cars came down the hill on the other side of the first chicane. Moments later, they were on the long straights of the Hunaudières. Rei took advantage of the relative calm of that sector to run Nagisa through final system checks.

“A quick burst of power, please”, he ordered. “Ok, that looks fine”, he continued, after a pause. “Telemetry ok. What oil temp are you reading?... Confirm, we have that too... First split time working for us. You are P7, 1.2 seconds behind sixth.”

“I must get closer!”, joked Nagisa. Rei was still tense, and didn't quite appreciate the humour. “Not yet Nagisa-kun...”

_**2:56 PM – Grid reminder.** Beautiful mix of cars at the front: mid-engined VW, turbodiesel-hybrid Peugeot, front-engined Maybach, quad-turbo Ford, and Maserati are your top five. Alfa Romeo start on pole in X2, ahead of Yamaha, Alpine, Volvo and the two Kias._

“Still nervous Rei-chan?”, asked Nagisa. “How about a little music?” Rei was a little confused.

“Well, I think there is some on the loudspeakers”, he answered, “but obviously with the headphones, I can't hear it.” Nagisa replied by mumbling a tune Rei struggled to recognise, before screaming “HIIIIIGHWAY TOOO THE DANGER ZONE!!!”

“Very funny, Nagisa-kun”, said Rei, who was sincerely amused, but it took little of his stress away.

_**2:58 PM – The wait is almost over...** Through the second part of the Porsche curves, the cars will line up in grid formation. It'll be VW vs Peugeot in the run up to turn one._

In the garage, Makoto, with the top of his overalls tied around his waist, was sitting forward in his chair, while Haru, race suit done up completely, was sitting back, seemingly more relaxed, but inside, he was eager to see how Nagisa would manage.

Through the final chicane came the field; once out of it, Nagisa floored the throttle – and quickly found himself alongside Gary Oak! If he could hold on round the outside, he had a good chance of taking sixth place in the Dunlop chicane...

_**3:00 PM – START OF THE TLM 2014!** Ash Ketchum jumps the field out of the Ford chicane, but Fantasio makes a mess of his start! He is passed by Dexter in the #3 Maybach on the run up to the Dunlop chicane, and the whole inside lane has in fact been delayed in the process! In X2, the battle begins between Yamaha and Alpine for second._

Nagisa completed the pass, and set his sights on fifth. “Remember how I said I'd rather be ahead of you, Edd?”, he thought, as he looked down the inside at Tertre Rouge, just to show himself in the Maserati driver's mirrors.

Now, he faced the mighty Hunaudières for the first time in battle mode. Edd moved to the middle of the road as Fantasio and Scott Tracy, in the Peugeot and Ford ahead of him, did likewise. Deciding he wouldn't try to make it three abreast into a chicane, Edd moved back to the left, and this allowed Nagisa to take full advantage of his slipstream as the corner approached...

The cameraman was concentrating on the battle for third, so he just caught Nagisa lining up the pass, but didn't get the end of it. People watching the live pictures, like the families and friends who had gathered at the Tachibana household, were left to wait...

“I think Nagisa-chan did get past!”, claimed Ren, Makoto's younger brother. Coach Sasabe, who was watching the same thing on his own laptop, moved closer to see if he could make out who was fifth. It was a distant camera angle though.

“Both cars are blue and white, it's hard to tell...”, remarked Rei's father, before being interrupted by Sasabe.

“ _YATTA!_ YES HE GOT HIM! WAY TO GO, KID!”

_**3:01 PM – Big movers at the start.** We know the Maybach has made it past the Peugeot, but he's the only one so far, as Scott Tracy thinks better of it in the #11 Ford. Another man on the move is rookie Nagisa Hazuki in Chrysler #17: he's gained two places in the first half-lap! The Saleen that started alongside it though has dropped two places._

The classification graphics after sector 1 confirmed Nagisa in 5th place. The garage applauded noisily, while the progress pressed a smile out of Haru. On pit wall, Gou was elated, but Rei decided to rein his driver in a little.

“Super stuff, Nagisa-kun, you are fifth”, he said, “but don't rush it, you don't have to get ahead of everyone now.”

“I'm already taking my time, Rei-chan!”, Nagisa called back. “What happened with the other lane at the start?”, he asked.

“The Peugeot mis-timed its acceleration, lost one place. Not sure why. See what the Ford ahead of you does with it before moving further”, advised Rei.

“Ok fine”, agreed Nagisa. “Will follow these guys if I can, and defend. Nagisa out.”

_**3:04 PM – Lap one completed.** Ash Ketchum (#8 VW) leads Dexter (#3 Maybach) by 1”8. Fantasio (#23 Peugeot) is 2” further back, trying to defend against Scott Tracy (#11 Ford), Nagisa Hazuki (#17 Chrysler) and Edd (#19 Maserati)._

Rei removed his headphones to listen to the cars going by. In between two lots of cars, he could hear the circuit announcer making his comments and the audience cheering, and, as a specific car came along, flags of its supporters would rise higher in the grandstands. The lap was very long and the race already settling down; Rei's insecurity about the start seemed long gone, nothing had gone wrong. He smiled and closed his eyes, taking in the sounds as Samezuka's Mazda screamed by.

_**3:05 PM – Problems already for two cars.** The #25 Saleen and #5 Lamborghini are garage-bound. No change in the top three in X2 on the first lap._

 

The war over third place between Fantasio and Scott Tracy continued, with Nagisa hanging on to the pair and putting a gap between himself and the Maserati in sixth. On the fourth lap, Scott pulled out from behind Fantasio going into the first chicane on the Hunaudières. Nagisa was in the slipstream, and was getting closer, but the Ford changed its mind and came back left in the braking zone, hitting the Chrysler's front-right bumper with its left-rear wheel!

With no time to think further, Nagisa slammed harder on the brakes to escape the danger, and the car drifted left, with two wheels past the road-side lines. He managed to keep control though, despite locking up the front wheels. On the other side of the chicane, he called pit wall.

“Rei-chan, I've been hit!”, he spluttered. Rei's tranquility disappeared in an instant.

“What? How? Where? Are you still going?”, he quizzed.

“With the Ford, he came back onto me. First Mulsanne chicane. Still going ok, I think.”

_**3:14 PM – Battle for third heats up!** Scott Tracy looks down the inside of Fantasio, but decides not to attempt the pass. He slips back behind only to find Nagisa Hazuki there! The two make contact, but it doesn't look like either have damage._

The big screens showed the replay of the incident. Rei watched it and radioed back in shock.

“My God, Nagisa-kun, that was very scary! It doesn't look like you have damage though. Be more distant when someone's trying a move”, he advised.

But the battle was continuing. Scott finally pressed past Fantasio and the Mulsanne hairpin, and Nagisa, more determined than before and sensing a chance, put the scare behind him and tried to squeeze past in the same move.

“Nagisa-kun, are you even listening to me?!”, yelled Rei.

_**3:15 PM – SCOTT TRACY TO THIRD!** The #11 Ford gets the move done at Mulsanne. Can he do anything about the escaping top two? Meanwhile, Fantasio is now going to have to deal with Nagisa Hazuki who is also looking very racy._

“I'm sorry, Rei-chan, the Ford is through, but I didn't get by”, remarked Nagisa.

“That's not what I was talking about”, replied Rei, rather annoyed. “Now calm down before a more serious incident happens!”

“Hold a moment, Nagisa”, intervened Gou. She was uneasy about Rei's tone, and told him to remove his headphones to talk privately.

“Let him race, Rei-kun! That's what we're here for, isn't it?”, she said.

“He's taking too many chances”, affirmed Rei.

“He's taking every chance he can get”, continued Gou. “Isn't that what he said he would do? He wanted to make the most of this, and he's doing just that, and I can hear in his voice he's enjoying this... Let him race like he wants to.”

“I'm the race engineer, Gou”, said Rei, sternly. “I get the last word.” Just as he lifted his headset back up in his left hand, the manager made her final push.

“Fine, but would you be this concerned if Haru or Makoto was driving?”

_**3:16 PM – CHANGE OF SECOND PLACE IN X2!** After Scott Tracy, it's Bugs Bunny who completes a pass for a podium place at Mulsanne. The #50 Alpine takes second in class away from the #99 Yamaha. _

Rei paused, and raised his right hand to his glasses. Gou had hit nail on the head. Nagisa was unpredictable, and was showing his ability to surprise simply by racing for position, whereas many expected the car to fall back. But there are two sides to every coin, and Rei feared that the incisive but impulsive driving style his closest friend was unravelling would lead to disaster. Rei would have preferred Haru or Makoto to start for that reason, but also because Nagisa was his closest friend.

“No, I wouldn't be this worried”, he admitted to Gou, putting his headphones back on. “Nagisa-kun, you're doing great. Just...” Rei turned to his colleague as he concluded. “Please stay in control.”

“Understood, Rei-chan”, responded Nagisa. “I think I have better traction than the car ahead, but I'll observe a little more before trying a pass.”

 

_**3:21 PM – The Chryslers continue their climb.** Hazuki in the #17 is pressuring Fantasio's Peugeot for fourth, while Arnold in the #16 has just passed Gary Oak for seventh. Eight seconds and the Maserati now stand between the two ME Four-Twelves._

After a couple more laps, Nagisa was still close behind the Peugeot. News of Arnold's pass reached him with the comment: “he's .7 quicker than you in the third sector”.

“Yes, I do feel I can go faster”, replied the driver. “Time to make a move, I think, before the 16 gets onto us.”

_**3:23 PM – Peugeot confirms KERS failure.** Pacôme de Champignac says this alone explains Fantasio's weak start and relative slow pace. The hybrid system will be repaired at the end of the stint. Nagisa Hazuki is starting to show himself in the Peugeot's mirrors._

Haru and Makoto watched excitedly as their team-mate began to put pressure on the black and gold car. Fantasio's team-mate, Spirou, appeared on screen. Like Makoto, he was wearing his overalls with the top part undone, and tied around his waist. With his arms crossed, he was talking to his new co-driver, who also doubled upas second-in-command of tactics, Zorglub. As his team knew that something was wrong with their car, there was a very serious look on the pair's faces.

It struck Haru that this was the first time he had seen Spirou like this: not smiling.

_**3:26 PM – Lamborghini back out.** The spectacular Egoista returns to the track after going into the garage on lap 1. The #25 Saleen is still not moving though. In X2, the #99 Yamaha is losing lots of time._

On track, Fantasio was coping with the pressure from Nagisa as best he could. The absence of extra boost from the hybrid system meant the Chrysler did have better acceleration on the long straights, but the gap in experience meant the Peugeot driver was able to deploy some basic defending tactics, by placing himself in the middle of the road or forcing his persuer to use the longer, outside line when attempting a move.

Nagisa was having to think hard about how to pass his adversary, and thinking was admittedly still not his forte. He was finding it hard to work out a plan while paying attention to his driving, so he talked through a lap with Rei, telling him what advantage he thought he had and where.

“I've got better power, but he's immediately in the middle of the road on the big straight”, was one of his comments. “He's moving to the left here... oh wait, there's a backmarker.”

“He's not in the middle between...” was another. He paused as he drove the corner. “Indy and the tight right-hander... Arnage, is that right, Rei-chan?”

“You could slingshot out of Indy and out-brake him into Arnage”, suggested Rei. “It's risky, but it's a slow corner, so it shouldn't be too dangerous. Try braking harder there and into Dunlop and Ford, see how much distance you gain.”

_**3:30 PM – Top 5 gaps after half an hour.** #8 VW (Ketchum) leads, #3 Maybach (Dexter) +16”, #11 Ford (S.Tracy) +22”, #23 Peugeot (Fantasio) and #17 Chrysler (Hazuki) +33”. Top 3 in X2: #80 Alfa (James) leads, #50 Alpine (B.Bunny) +21”, #88 Volvo (Scooby-Doo) +39”._

_**3:31 PM – Lap time analysis.** Our stats man reckons #8 VW is running a lighter fuel load, and Ketchum has made good use of that and the clear track in the early laps to pull away. Judging by Arnold's pace and Hazuki's progress, the Chryslers may be short-stinting too._

Nagisa had only a few more laps to try to pass Fantasio before his first fuel stop. Word of Peugeot's problems had reached the Iwatobi garage.

“Nagisa-kun, the car ahead is going to go into its garage for repairs soon”, said Rei. “We will gain the position even if you can't overtake, so take it easy.” Those words were reassuring to the tactician. His driver didn't need to risk as much, and fourth place would still come their way.

Nagisa would have none of it though. He wanted to get the pass done on track. The experiments with harder braking were looking good to him, so he decided to go for Rei's suggestion. He backed away a little going into Indianapolis, with an aim to stay on the right out of it while his opponent moved left, and pull alongside under braking into the right-hander at Arnage. But Fantasio had seen it coming. He stayed on the right out of Indianapolis, forcing Nagisa to slow and abort the attempt. For that lap.

_**3:38 PM – KETCHUM IS FLYING!** The VW driver sets the fastest lap of the race. His 3'41.5 adds another FOUR seconds to his lead! This is definitely a short stint from the #8._

In the garage, Makoto turned towards Haru.

“He's doing fantastically, isn't he?”, he remarked. Haru smiled and nodded. It relieved him somewhat that another driver on the team could be in the limelight for a while. Makoto sensed that his friend was sincerely satisfied with the way things were going. He could have added something about the position the car was in, but remembered that that was not really of interest to his team-mate.

“He's really enjoying himself”, commented Haru. “That's what counts with Nagisa.”

At that moment, the circuit announcer raised his voice: Nagisa had pulled alongside Fantasio heading towards the second chicane on the Hunaudières! Admittedly at a disadvantage though, the Chrysler was on the outside of the first turn in the left-right-left complex. Back in Japan, the room of supporters was holding its breath. On pit wall, Rei raised his hand to his mouth in anguish as Nagisa committed to the outside, forcing Fantasio to take a deeper line. Into the right-hander, Nagisa instinctively went for the gap on the inside. His opponent decided to be sensible: he had a problem, and would gain nothing in being too resistant, so he left enough room for Nagisa to slide underneath. The Peugeot had the inside for the final left-hander, but the superior grunt of the blue and white car, aided by a kink to the right, meant that Nagisa would pull in front. Certain that he had gained the position, Nagisa moved to the middle of the road over the Mulsanne crest. Fantasio did not look for an answer at the Mulsanne hairpin.

_**3:40 PM – HAZUKI GETS FOURTH!** The spectacular debut of the Iwatobi Racing Team continues as Hazuki wrestles past Fantasio at the second Mulsanne chicane!_

The garage and the Tachibana household exploded with joy at the pass. On pit wall, Gou patted Rei on the back. The race engineer was hesitating between satisfaction and relief.

“Nagisa-kun...”, gasped Rei. “Nice pass, but you didn't have to...”

“I wanted to, Rei-chan”, replied Nagisa, “and it felt great! How long until the fuel stop?”

“One lap after this one, Nagisa-kun. Again, super pass, the crew is super happy right now.”

_**3:42 PM – First and third pit.** Full tank for Ash Ketchum, who rejoins in 8 th, just ahead of his team-mate Gary Oak. Team play at work: Ketchum immediately lets Oak through to not get in the way of his best laps. The #11 Ford also refuels._

 

_**3:46 PM – The Iwatobi Chrysler stops.** The Chryslers weren't on a significantly lighter fuel load, but probably just on a more attacking strategy in a field that, on average, is running very conservatively for now. Fuel only stop for Hazuki, while the works Chrysler surprisingly stays out: Arnold still cannot find a way past the #19 Maserati._

_**3:51 PM – Maybach and Peugeot in.** Fuel stop for Dexter, who, of course, rejoins far behind the #8 VW, who will reclaim the lead once the pit stops have cycled through. The Peugeot enters the garage for KERS repairs, how long will it take? Lots of cars stopping this lap: the works Chrysler, the Maserati, the Team7 McLaren and the X2-leading Alfa._

_**3:53 PM – Peugeot back out!** A quick and efficient job from the mechanics sees Fantasio rejoin on the lead lap – but only just! So, the Peugeot falling back is the only big change after the first round of stops. The gap at the front is down to 23 seconds. The works Chrysler is still in sixth place, behind the Maserati._


	13. TLM Hour 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, that's quite a fast-forward. Nagisa held his fourth place early on, but then Haru and Makoto ran with the more conservative set-up promised by Rei before the race, and the teams around them were finding their feet. No problems, however, which allowed the team to maintain a good position; the same could not be said of Samezuka...

**TOON LE MANS RACE CLASSIFICATION AFTER 11 HOURS**

Started: 35 (24 X1, 11 X2) / Running: 27 (20 X1, 7 X2)

1\. VAG Kanto 8 - #8 Volkswagen Nardo - A.Ketchum/Misty/Brock - 163 LAPS

2\. DMLR - #3 Maybach Exelero - Dexter/Mandark/Dee Dee - +2'27"810

3\. Journal Spirou Peugeot Sport - #23 Peugeot Onyx - Spirou/Fantasio/Zorglub - +3'01"362 (last car on lead lap)

...

6\. Iwatobi Racing Team - #17 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve - H.Nanase/M.Tachibana/N.Hazuki - 161 LAPS

...

17\. (1st X2) Team Rocket Alfa Corse - #80 Alfa Romeo TZ3 - Jessie/James/Giovanni - 152 LAPS

18\. (2nd X2) Alpine Looney Tunes - #50 Alpine-Renault A110-50 - B.Bunny/D.Duck/P.Pig - 150 LAPS

19\. (3rd X2) Mystery Machines X2 - #88 Volvo Concept Coupe - Scooby-Doo/Scooby-Dum/S.Rogers - 149 LAPS

...

26\. (19th X1) Samezuka Academy Mazdaspeed - #22 Mazda Furai - R.Matsuoka/S.Yamazaki/A.Nitori - 128 LAPS

***

 

**Le Mans, France, Sunday 14 th September 2014, 2 AM  
**

“Gou, these tyres are shot! I'm taking it so gently through the Porsches.”

“Understood, Makoto. It's ok if the tyres don't last, we took a chance. Nagisa-kun is ready when you've had enough.”

_**2:02 AM – RETIREMENT: Mazda #22 (X1).** The Samezuka team give up just past the 11-hour mark. Teething problems for the brand-new Furai have hampered them all week._

Upon seeing “22: ABANDON” appear on the ticker, Gou looked down pit lane. She could just about make out the black shirts of Samezuka leaving pit wall. “ _Onii-chan_...”, she sighed.

“Will do, pit wall, shall I do another two to give Nagisa time to prepare?”, asked Makoto. Gou didn't answer straight away. Nagisa was alongside her, listening in.

“Gou-chan?”, he called, snapping her out of her distraction.

“Er, sorry Makoto”, she replied, “repeat please?”

“Two more laps, then box.”

“Yeah, fine by me”, answered Gou. She asked for confirmation with the awaiting driver: “Nagisa-kun?”

“Yep, I'll tell the crew to prepare new tyres”, concluded Nagisa, taking off the second pair of headphones, but not leaving just yet.

“Gou-chan, are you alright?”, he asked, clearly signalling he had noticed the change in her concentration.

“Erm, yeah”, she said, running her left hand through her hair. “It's just that _O_ _nii-chan_ 's team has just retired. I'm a little sad.”

“Aw, pity for Rin-chan”, commiserated Nagisa. “Come to think of it, I haven't heard their car since I got back out here.”

He had been up for about forty minutes. Rei had gone to rest at quarter to one, leaving Gou in charge of tactics, and waking up Nagisa for his duties. But the blond driver would get a more relaxed preparation, because Makoto had decided to try out a triple stint, as opposed to the doubles (driver change every two pit stops) they had been doing so far.

Things were becoming difficult though. He and Rei had bet that a single set of tyres could hold up for the nearly three hours that such a run would last. And they had lost that bet. Beyond two hours of use, even the hardest compound of tyres degraded fast, losing grip and shedding rubber marbles everywhere.

_**2:05 AM – The top two pit.** Fuel stops for Ash Ketchum and Dexter on the same lap. The fuel economy advantage of the Peugeot is really apparent now: they won't make their 13 th stop for another half-hour at least! We should see some serious challenges for the lead in the coming hours..._

_**2:06 AM – RETIREMENT: Volvo #64 (X2).** Another garage door closes: this time it's for the Team Flintstone Volvo. The Swedish manufacturer is now only represented by the #88 Mystery Machine, running 3 rd in X2, 1 lap behind the second-placed Alpine._

Fully equipped, Nagisa stood with the pit crew, in position to help Makoto out of the car. Two team members were in charge of the fuel, while three other mechanics would deal with changing the tyres: one with the air gun, and two to manage the wheels between the garage and the car. As long as the car was on pit road, only a limited number of operations could be performed: refuelling, changing tyres, cleaning the windows and changing drivers. All four would be done this time, and it shouldn't take more than a minute.

Makoto brought the car in on the speed limiter and stopped on the mark. Instantly, the fuel hose was connected to the car, and Nagisa opened the door. Makoto could then free himself from the safety harness and leap from the car. Nagisa placed his seat inside and climbed in, taking care to not sit on anything he shouldn't. Makoto then helped him to tighten the belts, put a new bottle of drink in the holder and attached the tube to the underside of Nagisa's helmet. They had now got the rhythm right, as the refuelling hadn't quite finished when the door closed. As soon as the hose came out of the car, the jacks came up and the tyre change would take place. As it had to be done one wheel at a time, it took as much time as the previous phase. Being able to use tyres over several stints was therefore important to keep the time spent in the pits down.

Not that the time saved was of any concern to the Iwatobi Racing Team. Their priority was to get to the end, and that goal had taken precedence as the night drew on. The car had held fourth place in the early hours (and had even run as high as second for one lap, while the pit stops cycled through), but had since dropped back. Makoto's pace was significantly slower than that of his team-mates, but he felt the need to contribute in his own way, and he went down the endurance route. Triple-stinting meant his team-mates could rest longer, likely improving their efficiency in their double stints.

But there were two disadvantages. The first was that a triple-stint still required a tyre change, as the team had found out. The other was that Makoto was also considerably run down by the effort. After Nagisa had left the pit lane, Makoto walked over to talk to Gou. He sat next to his manager and removed his helmet.

“Wow, that was exhausting”, he sighed. Gou looked at him and gasped. She had never seen him looking so worn out.

“I can tell”, she confirmed. “You'd fall asleep on a roller-coaster in your state!”

“Well, it's sort of soothing to listen to the cars from the outside after spending so long inside”, mused Makoto, as the dominant X2 competitor drove by. “I should stay out here more. The night atmosphere here is...”, he added, before he was interrupted by his own yawning.

“No, you should go to bed, Mako”, said Gou. “You'll enjoy it more after a rest. Then you're in for the sunrise stint, so you need as much sleep as you can get.” Her driver rubbed his eyes.

“Yeah, I guess you're right”, he replied. He took one last glimpse at the timing screens. “Oh no, Rin's out”, he thought to himself, before walking away.

_**2:12 AM – Enwing under pressure for 13 th.** The only direct battle for position right now is the duel between the #30 Totally Spies Citroen and the #6 Digimon Cadillac. Clover Enwing has fended off some attacks from Tai Kamiya; how much longer can she hold on?_

 

_In the Iwatobi motorhome, Makoto and Haru's quarters._

Makoto entered the bathroom and took his suit and T-shirt off. He threw some water on his face and observed himself in the mirror. He looked tired. “Sleep. I really need sleep”, he stated quietly. Just as he moved to take more clothes off and jump in to the shower for a quick wash, a voice from behind startled him.

“You really should knock.”

“HARU?!”, he shrieked, turning around. Indeed, there was Haru, sitting in the bath. “You... you're not sleeping?!”, trembled Makoto, very embarrassed.

“Didn't you notice I wasn't in bed?”, asked Haru, very calmly.

“I didn't look, I'm very sleepy. Why aren't you in bed?” Haru got out of the bath. Of course, he was wearing his swimsuit. He started stretching.

“I didn't feel like sleeping, and this is just as effective for me to relax, as you know. How was the triple stint?”, he asked.

“As you can tell, it's tiring”, answered Makoto, “but it's something special driving out there at night. It was interesting to gauge how the tyres were behaving.”

“No problems?”, quizzed Haru, drying himself.

“The bad news is, the tyres won't last three stints. Actually, you could say I did more of a double-and-a-half. In the end, it was difficult to control the car. But otherwise no problems.”

“Cool. We're doing very well. I'll prepare to take over from Nagisa and leave you to sleep.”

Just as Haru passed the bathroom door, Makoto called him back.

“Haru... I think you should know...” He paused. “Samezuka... are out of the race.”

“Sad news”, replied Haru. “But not very surprising, they've had lots of problems. I'm going for a jog, I'll try not to wake you up when I come back for my race suit.”

_Outside._

Haru ran through the paddock, and headed straight for Samezuka's motorhome. He hoped he would see Rin, even briefly. But when he arrived, the lights were out. Barely twenty minutes after the team had officialised their retirement, it seemed the drivers had gone to bed.

Haru continued, all the way to the end of the area reserved for the teams. He stopped. He could hear the rumble of a pair of big V10-powered cars pursuing each other along the home straight, the sound and its echo between the grandstands softened by the distance. He checked that he had his access pass and covered his head with the hood of his sweater. He moved towards the paddock entrance, and showed his pass to the security guard.

“ _Pilote_?”, he remarked.

“Jogging for preparation”, answered Haru. “20 minutes, to the Dunlop bridge and back.”

“Ok, but be careful”, advised the guard.

“I don't think I'll be recognised”, thought Haru. At least, he was banking on that. After all, the guard hadn't.

A few minutes later, he stopped on the mound overlooking the track between the fast right-hander at the end of the pit straight and the first chicane. Just then, Nagisa drove by. The engine revs dropped and the brake discs glowed a bright orange-red as the driver applied pressure to the left pedal. Backfire flames spouted out of the four exhaust pipes at the rear of the car with every gear downshift. After navigating through the corner, Haru heard the car roar up the rest of the hill, under the famous Dunlop bridge and out of sight.

A Pininfarina Sergio followed. Then a Shelby. Then one of the Volkswagens and the remaining X2-class Kia, followed by the Alpine. Each time it was a different sound. Then the Peugeot arrived. Haru listened to the car's quiet growl as it slowed. As he turned his head to follow it, the manufacturer's fan area caught his eye. It was there, weeks earlier, that he and his team-mates had spent their first evening at the track.

 

He recalled Makoto's words as the four had stood, watching the sunset.

“Remember, we just wanted to have fun with a sportscar, and that's what we'll do. Let's get back and get some sleep.” Just then, Spirou had appeared next to Haru.

“Fantastic sunset”, he noted. “The night here is a really romantic moment. Out on the public road section, you feel so alone, like in a cocoon. Then you get back to this area with the tribunes, the funfair, the flashes from cameras... It's a light show, and your car is a part of it.” He sipped his Champagne, before adding “I can't wait.”

“So that's why you drive?”, asked Haru. Makoto and Rei were disturbed by the directness of the question, but Spirou didn't seem fazed by it.

“It's one thing among many others”, he answered. “The whole experience of Le Mans is special. I remember, I started out like you guys, with Fantasio, we just decided to get into a sportscar and have some fun, take up the challenge of a 24-hour race. But then... it's hard to describe. Inside your car, something in your mind takes over. It's like... visions you get. Like seeing your team-mate in the passenger seat and imagining what he would be telling you.” The four newcomers turned their heads. They knew exactly what that feeling was.

But Spirou interpreted it as disbelief. He looked at his glass and chuckled. “I should stop there, everyone's going to think I'm drunk again! But I'm honest, you either experience that or you don't. For me, that feeling is another reason to come back here year after year.”

While Makoto's nervousness persisted until the next morning, those words had struck a chord with Nagisa. He was still excited as he went to bed that night.

“Those visions Spirou was talking about, do you think they are like the ones we had when we were swimming, Rei-chan?”, he asked.

“I guess, Nagisa-kun”, answered Rei. “It's sort of reassuring to know we're not the only ones...”

“I wonder what it'll be like in the car! What do you think I'll see, Rei-chan?”

“I haven't the slightest idea. You'll just find out. Now wind down and get some sleep.”

Nagisa wouldn't calm down for a while though. He agitatedly continued on that path, recalling what he saw when he had swum with Rei in high school.

The number 17 car drove past Haru again. “Is he seeing anything right now?”, he thought to himself. “And what about Makoto? He was out there in the dark for so long...”

Zorglub zoomed past again in the number 23. Looking back up at the Peugeot hospitality building, he saw a fan waving a flag, and another taking a photo. The flash briefly added itself to the collection of lights in the landscape. Another camera went off in the opposite grandstands as another car roared into the chicane. A shiver ran through Haru's body. He had stayed on the mound for just over five minutes, and the night wasn't as warm as the day. It was time to run back to the motorhome.

He found Makoto in a deep sleep as he went back into the bathroom, where he discreetly washed and changed into his race suit, before heading to the garage.

 

_**3:11 AM – RETIREMENT: Citroën #24 (X1).** After a very long battle in the garage, the Olive  & Tom Football Team have thrown the towel in. The remaining, factory-backed Citroën GT is currently 14th._

Out on track, Nagisa was starting to struggle with another part wearing down: the brakes.

“I had a couple of scares on that lap”, he radioed. “The car didn't slow down well enough for the chicanes and I had to go around wide. I must brake earlier for the corners.” Next to Gou on pit wall was an engineer.

“Understood, Nagisa”, he said back.

“Is it a big problem? Should we get Rei out here?”, asked Gou. She didn't have any technical baggage, as her role was mainly communications and coaching.

“No, it's probably normal wear”, answered the engineer. “Those brakes have been used for 15 hours. We'll just change them in the garage at the end of the stint, it'll only cost us one lap. Nagisa, can you hold out until then?”

“Should do”, replied Nagisa. “If it gets too difficult, I'll let you know.”

Haru arrived on pit wall just then, with a large mug of tea to keep him warm. The engineer explained the situation.

“So when you get in after the replacement, brake a little earlier than normal to begin with, in case something else is damaged”, he advised.

_**3:18 AM – #50 Alpine in the garage.** Brake change for the X2 contender. Their second place in class could be under threat, but, just beyond the half-way point of this race, many teams will be assessing the hardware. Expect more garage stops into the early morning._

Nagisa's lap times were starting to look very different to his previous stint in the dark.

“3 minutes 52 last time, Nagisa-kun”, commented Gou. “It's not looking good.”

“3 minutes fif... WHOAA!” came the reply.

“You ok, Nagisa-kun?”, asked a worried Gou.

“I'm ok, I just spun in the Esses.” Nagisa paused briefly. “Under braking. Am going again, but I had two wheels in the gravel for a moment.”

“We should bring him in if he can't handle it”, said Haru. “I'm ready.”

“Wait, we'll see how the next sector goes”, responded Gou.

_**3:22 AM – Spin for Nagisa Hazuki.** The #17 Iwatobi Chrysler driver loses the back end in the Esses de la Forêt. No harm done, but it's a rather erratic stint he's having. In X2, the Alpine is back out. They haven't lost 2 nd, but have lost another lap to the class leader._

“Nagisa, how was it on the Mulsanne straight?”, asked the engineer.

“Fine, Jeremy”, the driver replied. “At the Esses, I was too rough, my mistake. But if I'm cautious, it's still manageable.”

“Understood, but if it gets difficult, bring the car in for repairs. Don't wait for the brakes to fail completely.”

“Haru is ready for the next stint”, observed Gou, “so don't risk anything.”

_**3:24 AM – Spirou closing in on second place.** With a pitstop in hand, the #23 Peugeot is lapping over 3 seconds faster than the #3 Maybach._

The Iwatobi pit crew began preparing the parts and tools to replace the brakes. In the neighbouring works team, the information that brake pads and discs may last only 15 hours was carefully taken note of. The Iwatobi team had changed their brakes after qualifying, while Arnold's squad got new ones after warm-up, hence they could expect trouble in the next couple of hours.

A few minutes later, several cries of astonishment came from the surrounding pit boxes. On the big screen, a car was shown badly damaged at the Porsche curves.

_**3:27 AM – THE MAYBACH HAS CRASHED!** Dee Dee was under enormous pressure to keep up the pace to stop the #23 Peugeot from pulling away more than a pit stop's worth of time, but it seems she's pushed too hard and lost control at the Porsche curves._

“Code 60 at the Porsche curves, Nagisa”, reported the engineer. “Repeat, Code 60 at the Porsche curves, no overtaking and use the limiter. Look out for the 'Slow' signs.”

“Bring him in now”, ordered Haru, before finishing off his tea in one gulp.

“He's just gone by, Haru”, remarked Gou.

“Then call him in at the end of this lap. We'll lose less time to the others if we pit during a Code 60. Bring him in, let's not gamble on how long we'll have the slow zone.”

“He's right”, confirmed the engineer, “especially as it's a Safety Car now.” He turned back to radio the driver. “Nagisa, Safety Car, no overtaking. Pick up your SC queue at Mulsanne and box this lap please. Haru in, and we'll change brakes.”

Gou just stared at Haru as he walked back to the garage. She was shocked at how quick, precise and assertive his reaction was, and how it contrasted with his general attitude. “He's acting like he's really interested”, she thought.


	14. TLM Hour 22-23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long hop in time, we now look at the closing stages of the race.  
> After the demise of the #3, the early morning saw the car that led from the word go, the #8 Kanto VW, retiring with gearbox woes. This left the #23 Spirou Peugeot to lead the two Chryslers comfortably. Both cars had shown brilliant pace and good reliability, until the works car hit turbo troubles. This promoted a tiny, beginner privateer squad to second overall. A puncture for the #23 meant they lost one lap, but two laps is still a very safe lead over a trio of rookies with two and a half hours to go...
> 
> Chapter largely from the leading team's perspective.

**TOON LE MANS RACE CLASSIFICATION AFTER 21 HOURS**

Started: 35 (24 X1, 11 X2) / Running: 16 (12 X1, 4 X2)

1\. Journal Spirou Peugeot Sport - #23 Peugeot Onyx - Spirou/Fantasio/Zorglub - 300 LAPS

2\. Iwatobi Racing Team - #17 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve - H.Nanase/M.Tachibana/N.Hazuki - 298 LAPS

3\. VAG Kanto 9 - #9 Volkwsagen Nardo - G.Oak/Dawn/May - 297 LAPS

...

10\. (1st X2) Team Rocket Alfa Corse - #80 Alfa Romeo TZ3 - Jessie/James/Giovanni - 279 LAPS

12\. (2nd X2) MGM Kia Motorsport - #52 Kia GT4 Stinger - Droopy/Dripple/McWolf - 276 LAPS

13\. (3rd X2) Spacely Sprockets Team Jetson - #75 Cadillac Evoq - G.Jetson/Ja.Jetson/Ju.Jetson - 272 LAPS

...

RET. Samezuka Academy Mazdaspeed - #22 Mazda Furai - R.Matsuoka/S.Yamazaki/A.Nitori - 128 LAPS

***

 

**Le Mans, France, Sunday 14 th September 2014, 12:45 PM  
**

Spirou was relaxed and cheery, standing around the garage in his civilian clothes, all cleaned up having finished his stints for this year's event an hour earlier. He was looking forward to see his friends coast to victory, as problems had delayed or eliminated their rivals, and the beginner Iwatobi Racing Team, who had been spared by more serious issues and was running two laps down, posed no threat. Fantasio was to drive until 1:30-ish, and it had been agreed that Zorglub would take over to cross the finish line a winner in his first participation. The latter had done much less driving that his two, more experienced team-mates, but he had been of invaluable assistance on pit wall, relieving de Champignac in the tactical department.

Yet, the situation wasn't as ideal it seemed. Although Fantasio's pace was good enough to keep the second-placed car in check and maintain his two-lap cushion, Zorglub and de Champignac were concerned about the brakes. Unlike in most teams, where a change of discs had to be made overnight, Peugeot believed that their brakes would last the 24 hours, just like on the LMP in previous years. But in the car, Fantasio was reporting some unusual behaviour, and it wasn't down to the tyres. “We should do it”, said Zorglub. “It'll take one lap, but I think I can manage a one lap lead.”

“I agree”, replied de Champignac, “but we should tell Spirou to be on stand-by. If we find there's more to do, it could get tight.” The tactician signalled to the garage to ask Spirou to join him by drawing a circle over his head with his finger. Not because he viewed his red-haired driver as an angel, but because that was the shape of the hat he wore, that he had kept since his first summer job working as a hotel groom.

_**12:51 PM – Problems not over for Chrysler.** The #16 is back in the garage. They replaced two turbos only 90 minutes ago, and it seems a new issue has appeared._

Out to pit wall came Spirou, wearing that distinctive hat, and with Spip on top of it.

“What's up, chief?”, he asked.

“Fantasio's got trouble”, answered Zorglub, instantly wiping the smile off Spirou's face.

“That's a dramatic way to put it”, contested de Champignac. “We think the brakes are wearing out, and we're suggesting we change them at the next pit stop. It should only take one lap, but we want you to get ready in case we lose more time than expected.” The tacticians could see Spirou wasn't happy with being asked to suit up again.

“I know you've already given a lot”, comforted de Champignac, placing his hand on his driver's shoulder, “and that you finished not long ago, but it's a precaution, really. Just in case we end up having a battle for the lead.”

“Yeah, sounds sensible”, sighed Spirou. “I'll be back in fifteen minutes.”

_**12:57 PM – Two driver changes.** Hinata Hyuga gives way to Naruto Uzumaki in the #7 McLaren, while Buck hands over to Bubba in the surviving #20 Shelby GR-1. The #16 Chrysler's repairs have promoted them to fifth and sixth respectively._

“Fantasio, how is the car holding up?”, asked de Champignac on the radio.

“Brakes a bit inconsistent”, answered Fantasio. “They bite more or less.” There was a short pause while he concentrated to drive a chicane. “It's manageable for now. I think I can get to the end of the stint.”

“Ok, maybe we stop a lap or two early to preserve the rest”, advised de Champignac.

_**1:01 PM – #17 Chrysler stops.** Final fuel stop for Nagisa Hazuki before he hands over; his pace has been great, he's maintained the one-and-a-half lap gap to third and made second place very likely for Iwatobi Racing Team on their debut._

On the Iwatobi pit wall, the end of the race was being discussed. There was no argument this time: Makoto put himself forward to take the car over the finish line, a decision Haru would have no trouble accepting.

“You still look tired though”, noted Haru. Makoto had performed two triple stints overnight, and only did a single stint before Nagisa's current run. “Shall I take the next one?”

“I'm fine...”, Makoto started, before yawning.

“Makoto, you're not fine”, scolded Haru. “Go to bed for an hour.”

“I wanted to say 'I'm fine with that'”, continued Makoto. “At least let me finish my sentence.”

_**1:04 PM – May and Eddy stop.** With one-lap gaps either side, third place should go the way of the #9 VW. The #19 Maserati is still in 8 th, and didn't benefit from the second brake change on the #16 Chrysler (Gerald is at the wheel of the works ME Four-Twelve)._

Spirou returned to the Peugeot garage, the top of his overalls tied around his waist. He put his helmet and gloves on a workspace and exchanged a few words with the head mechanic.

“Fantasio says the brakes are inconsistent”, the latter explained.

“Sounds like a pad replacement to me”, the driver answered. He had a serious look on his face again. He'd been assured his preparation was just a precaution, but he had a gut feeling that he would be getting into the car even if it wasn't as close as Zorglub and de Champignac feared.

_**1:09 PM – Pit interview: James (#80 Alfa).** The X2 leader says they've “been taking it easy since getting two laps ahead”. So plain sailing since roughly 11 PM last night... Total domination for Team Rocket in the X2 class, and James regrets that “the other cars haven't held up so well”. The gap back the #52 Kia is stable: 3 laps._

On track, things were getting worse for Fantasio. Not only were the brakes clearly past their prime, but handling was also becoming an issue.

“I think I have this weird sensation when I counter-steer”, he complained on the radio.

“How is that related to the brakes?”, asked de Champignac.

“It's not the brakes”, answered Fantasio, “but as I'm concentrating on the feeling of the car more, I might be a bit paranoid on normal feedback. Will try to confirm it.”

_**1:17 PM – The Digimon Cadillac is stopped on track!** Last in X1, the #6 has already had its fair share of problems, but now Sora Takenouchi has come to a halt at Arnage._

By now, Fantasio's lap times actually increased, which went against the logic that the car should get faster as the fuel load got lighter.

“Last lap was much slower, Fantasio, traffic or is something wrong?”, asked the Count.

“Erm... let me get through the Esses...”, the driver replied, before pausing. “Yep, definitely something up at the front. Changing direction is getting tricky.”

“Oh crap, that's the suspension”, remarked Zorglub. “I knew we'd have to check that after driving with sub-par brakes, plus Spirou had that puncture earlier... Yeah, there could be damage. We shouldn't delay in bringing him in.”

“Did you hear that, Fantasio?”, continued the Count. “Garage this lap.”

“Understood”, was the response from the car. “Car is turning very uncomfortably through the chicanes. This kind of thing always seems to happen to me...”

_**1:23 PM – Scramble at Peugeot!** Chairs are being moved out the way in the box, it looks like a garage intervention is about to happen for the leader. This car hasn't changed brakes at all yet, could it be that their time has come? Meanwhile, the #6 has not moved._

Zorglub ran over to the garage and told Spirou that things were about to get tight.

“Ugh, I knew it”, he moaned. “If it gets close, I'll do one stint to pull out a gap so you can finish.”

“Sounds good”, replied the tactician. “But if we lose a lot of time, like several laps, I'll take it”, replied Zorglub, who was also suited up and had the rest of his kit ready. “And in that case, we'll just have to hope that the same trouble hits the new guys”, he added, looking at the timing screen. Spirou also looked up anxiously at the standings.

“New guys...”, he thought, focusing on the line showing second place. “So this is what it's come to: rookies with a chance of winning. Now that's a sight I've never seen before.”

_**1:25 PM – LEADER IN THE GARAGE!** The #23 Peugeot's advantage is two laps over the #17 Chrysler. If it's just a brake change, they should be ok, but the front bonnet has also been removed, and that's not a good sign._

The mood among the Iwatobi crew changed radically upon seeing the leader go into the garage. It dawned on Makoto, who had not gone to bed, Haru, Gou and Rei that the win was possible.

“We could take the lead!”, squealed Gou, excitedly, grabbing Haru's sleeve.

“Well, not yet”, replied Makoto, “we've got to see if it's a big issue they've got.” He had tried to keep level-headed, but the idea of battling for victory got to him, and his tiredness subsided completely as he jumped and shouted “who am I kidding? This is awesome!”

“Please, everyone be quiet!”, yelled Rei. The other three looked at the blue-haired race engineer. He had his head between his hands, and was visibly anxious.

“This is most unexpected. I need to think about the situation”, he continued, before going through a few facts in his mind. “Nagisa-kun is in the car now... How will he react if he's leading? He'll be very excited... but that's more of a problem knowing Nagisa-kun...”

“Rei?”, called Haru. The race engineer turned his head. The driver continued: “I'm ready if you need me.”

“Of course!”, Rei thought, “if anyone can handle the pressure, that'll be Haru”. He smiled, and called Nagisa to tell him his plan.

_**1:29 PM – Iwatobi back on the lead lap.** The #17 Chrysler has unlapped itself as work continues in the Peugeot garage. Our pit reporter says that the suspension is being worked on, as well as the brakes._

Spirou and Zorglub were completely geared up, each ready to jump into the car if required. The big screens showed the Iwatobi pit crew getting ready for a stop, as tyres were being brought out.

“They're going to change driver”, said Zorglub.

“How long?”, shouted Spirou at the head mechanic.

“We're half-done I think”, was the answer.

“Another 3-4 minutes”, Spirou told Zorglub. “What do you think?” The co-tactician thought for a moment, before answering “if they're stopping too, it's going to be close.”


	15. The chase

_**1:30 PM – Hourly update.** The battle for the lead is on as we speak: the #23 Peugeot is in the garage with 320 laps completed, while the #17 Chrysler is on its 320 th lap. The #9 VW (2 laps down), the #1 Veritas (-3 laps) and the #7 McLaren (-9 laps) round up the top 5. In X2, the #80 Alfa has a 3-lap lead over the #52 Kia, and 8 laps over the #75 Cadillac._

Zorglub looked up pit lane to see who would take the Chrysler over from Nagisa. The individual colours on the left leg of the Iwatobi suits made it fairly easy to distinguish who was getting ready to board.

“Nanase”, Zorglub shouted towards Spirou, who was standing near the car. “They're putting in Nanase!” Spirou froze.

“Clever bunch”, he thought, “they're putting their best driver in to defend their chances.” With that thought done, he turned around and asked the chief mechanic for an update.

“The back's ok, we're finishing the brakes on the front.”

“Ok Zed, I'm getting in”, Spirou told his team-mate, who came inside to help install the driver.

_**1:31 PM – Driver changes for the top two.** Nagisa Hazuki is going to hand over to Haru Nanase shortly. Meanwhile, Spirou is getting back in the Peugeot. This could be tight!_

Rei leapt down from pit wall to give Haru one last order.

“Obviously it's cool that we can go for the win, but remember that it's important we finish”, he said. “I trust you to make sure of that. Take care.”

“Don't worry”, replied Haru. “I'll drive normally.” Rei paused, perplexed.

“But you only drive fast...”

“Exactly.” An amused Rei had no time to say another word. He had to run back up to his place on pit wall as Nagisa drove in. The refuelling and the driver change happened, then the tyre change...

_**1:33 PM – NEW OVERALL LEADER!** The intervention on the Peugeot was just a minute too long, and Haru Nanase in the #17 Chrysler takes over top spot!_

“You're in the lead, Haru! IN THE LEAD!”, shouted Rei on the radio.

“I know where I am, Rei”, snapped Haru, not very keen on being distracted through the Dunlop chicane. “I saw the 23 coming out of the garage. Is it back out yet?”

“Yes, it's just got moving again. Spirou at the wheel. Will give you the gap when I see it.”

Rei waited for both cars to go through the first sector timing line on the Hunaudières to give his update: “36 seconds, Haru, that's your advantage.”

“That sounds manageable”, said Gou, enthusiastically. Haru was more reserved.

“Still plenty of time for that to change, Gou. I won't underestimate Spirou. I want to do my normal lap times, Rei, so tell me if I'm behind them. Speedbird out.”

_**1:34 PM – The #6 Cadillac stationed at Karting.** In all the excitement of the lead change, we missed Sora Takenouchi moving forward with the Digimon entry. But she's stopped again just a few hundred metres from pit entry where she'd be allowed a push..._

In the Peugeot garage, Zorglub was talking with the mechanics. He had removed his helmet and gloves, and was wondering whether it was worth taking the rest off too. Spirou had over 30 seconds to make up, and probably wouldn't pull away much if he got past during this stint, meaning his more experienced team-mate was a likely choice to finish the race. He walked over to pit wall to comment on the longer-term strategy with the Count.

“Spirou was in the car before Fantasio”, remarked the elderly, moustachioed tactician. “Four stints out of six really is a lot. I won't be surprised if he ends this one very tired, especially as he needs to be very fast to catch up with the 17. Stay ready, we'll see what happens.”

_**1:36 PM – Pit interview: Arnold (#16 Chrysler).** “Good to have a Chrysler in the lead, shame it's not us, but we had more problems, and these guys have driven really well, so they deserve it. We'll see if Nanase can hold Spirou off, I don't know. Anyway, this is a great sign for us, we can really look forward to being at the front in 2015 as we planned.”_

Spirou needed a forceful pace, and was already delivering. On the out-lap, he shaved 3 seconds off of Haru's lead, most of which came in the final sector. By then, the tyres were warmer, and the Peugeot driver was getting into his stride. The less experienced Haru seemed less confident in the tyres on his first lap.

“How is the handling, Spirou?”, asked de Champignac.

“Good as new!”, was the reply. “I think the car's even better than when I drove it last! The crew have done a super job.” There was a pause while he drove through a corner, before he added “plus there's next to no traffic. Fast laps coming up!”

_**1:37 PM – The chase is on!** The #6 Cadillac back in pit lane, the track is clear and Spirou can get to work: the gap to the leader is 33.2 seconds over the line, with 83 minutes to go. With new brakes, it's likely that the Peugeot will catch up, but does Nanase, the surprising rookie from Iwatobi, Japan, have something in store to resist the double TLM champion?_

The next few laps were tough for the Iwatobi team. Rei, Gou, Makoto and Nagisa, all on pit wall, watched helplessly as Haru's pursuer took chunks, not nibbles, out of their car's advantage: after the 3 seconds lost on the out lap, Haru was 4.5 seconds slower on the next, and dropped another 4 on the following circuit. Rei wanted to tell his driver about this, but he expected Haru to not take it into consideration. He took a chance anyway.

“Haru, we're losing lots of time, can you speed up?”, he asked. There was radio silence for a few seconds. Normally, a race engineer would ask again, but Rei interpreted it as a refusal to answer. He decided he would wait for the next sector time to see if Haru had received his message. But then, a voice responded.

“I don't sense anything unusual. Am I behind my normal times?”, Haru asked in turn. Rei didn't bother to check his timing sheets and was honest.

“No”, he answered, “it's just that if you could speed up to make it harder for the 23, that would be nice.” There was another pause until Haru spoke again.

“I can do a little more here and there, but I'm not going on full attack, I won't last. Speedbird out.”

Makoto had taken over the second pair of headphones from Gou, and what his best friend had said made sense.

“He's managing his effort”, he told Rei discreetly. The tactician nodded, but was visibly unnerved at the difference of pace and Haru's indifference to it. As his best friend, Nagisa could feel it.

“Remember what he was like after qualifying”, he suggested. “Haru-chan knows his limits.” Rei nodded again. As had been the case since Thursday, Rei was torn between the team's official objective, to get to the end, and the ambition to aim as high as possible. Now, the win was possible, and, although he had put everything on his squad's side, and he trusted Haru was doing his best, he felt put down by what he had just heard. He felt as if his driver was somewhat throwing the chance away, as Spirou continued to carve savagely into the number 17's lead. Surely Haru could do more...

 

The situation was little more relaxed in the Peugeot camp. Although it looked certain that Spirou would catch up before the end of the stint, he would still have to complete an overtaking move. And, even if that could be done, de Champignac was uncertain that the gap he could pull out afterwards would be enough to allow Zorglub, a TLM beginner, to comfortably take the last stint.

“You're doing a super job, _mon ami_ ”, called the Count. “How is everything?”

“Systems ok”, was Spirou's reply. It's shortness caused the race engineers to worry a little.

De Champignac called back a dozen seconds later: “and how are you?”

“It's intense”, said the driver. “I can feel the weight of my previous run in my arms.”

_**1:57 PM – Shelby in the garage!** With just over an hour to go, the T-Rex pit crew wheel the #20 into the box. Worse, the mechanics don't seem to be doing anything precise with the car. Do they have a problem that is hard to trace?_

At the top of the hour, the gap was down to 12 seconds. The closing rate of the Peugeot decreased as Haru put a little more aggression into his driving. De Champignac and Zorglub were content with the progress on pit wall, but, when told, Spirou's reaction was uncompromising.

“3 seconds a lap? That's not enough! Call back in two laps.”

Hearing that his advantage per lap was reducing changed Spirou's mindset. He became impatient, and didn't want any more laps of chasing. It was no longer about getting the lead back as soon as possible: he wanted to get it back now.

_**2:01 PM – Shelby are making a tactical stop.** Big Boss Graves says that nothing is wrong with the #20, but the team are doing a check that will keep it in the pits long enough to avoid a splash-and-dash at the end, and without losing 6 th place to the #16 Chrysler._

Adrenalin was racing through Spirou's body. He was putting his head down on the straights, as if it made the car go faster. The car's language as it went through the corners became more incisive. With the help of his KERS boost, Spirou went through the speed trap on the Hunaudières at 320 km/h, 10 km/h faster than Haru around 10 seconds earlier.

“This is going to be big”, remarked de Champignac.

_**2:03 PM – SPIROU SETS THE FASTEST LAP OF THE RACE!** With a 3'40.7, the second-placed car is annihilating Haru Nanase's advantage! Half an hour after the chase began, there's only 7.3 seconds of the #17's lead remaining. Bubba in the #20 Shelby is back out, just ahead of the #16 Chrysler, but the latter will make a fuel stop._

Seeing the rival car set the fastest lap of the race alarmed Rei.

“Er... Haru”, he called, hesitantly. Then he paused as he looked at the screen. 3'40.7 was a time he'd seen before. And it was Haru's qualifying time.

“Yes Rei, what is it?”, enquired Haru. The silence from the race engineer lessened his aggravation at what he perceived as another distraction from pit wall.

“Just to let you know”, he replied, “the 23 is running 3'40s. The gap is seven seconds. Just... keep going as you are. There's nothing else I can ask you. Butterfly out.”

Rei sat back and removed his headphones. Like Gou and Makoto, he couldn't believe that what looked like a healthy lead had vanished on pace alone. The fact that the squad's adversary had ten years of experience failed to appease him. He was getting the same feeling as when Iwatobi High had lost the Prefectoral relay to Samezuka Academy: it didn't matter that they had lost to a school that had a long history of preparing swimming champions, all he saw was that they had lost. Sensing the distress, Nagisa placed his hand on Rei's shoulder, as the sector times continued to confirm the difference between Spirou and Haru.


	16. The duel

_**2:07 PM – ANOTHER FASTEST LAP!** Spirou goes six tenths faster! With a 3'40.1, he has placed himself within striking distance. A new phase of the duel will begin now. For how long can Haru resist being passed?_

“Ok guys, I have visual contact!”, jubilated Spirou on the radio.

“You have the fastest lap of the race too!”, answered de Champignac. “Super stuff, but be careful now. We need to see when they will stop, maybe we can undercut them. Zed is working it out.”

Haru could see that the Peugeot, which occasionally flashed its lights, had closed the gap, and he was starting to practice some defensive lines. By the Mulsanne hairpin, the black and gold car was close enough to make a move. And Spirou was in no mood to wait.

“If I pass and get away, Zorglub can take the end...”, he thought to himself. He went for the first opportunity he had: he pulled out of the slipstream going into Indianapolis. But Haru held on around the outside of the right-hander and re-took the advantage through the left. But Spirou wasn't done: he decided to squeeze underneath at the next slow right-hander of Arnage. But Haru had him covered, and had only moved to the middle of the track to prepare for the corner. Spirou still committed to the deep, inside line, and the two cars made contact.

It was the sort of contact that would usually put the car in front into a spin, but amazingly, Haru's reflex was to turn into the slide while feathering the brakes. Not having his foot on the throttle saved his car from going sideways, but he had lost all momentum.

The crowd stood as the incident unfolded on the big screens, and the Iwatobi pit wall was very unhappy. In the Peugeot pit, Fantasio winced. “That's not like Spirou...”, he thought.

_**2:10 PM – THE LEADERS COLLIDE AT ARNAGE!** After a first attempt at Indianapolis, Spirou makes a careless dive down the inside and nearly puts Nanase into a spin! Kudos to the rookie for controlling that, and it seems that Spirou hasn't gained any advantage._

“Sorry for the scare, guys”, radioed Spirou. “I got carried away. I've left him the advantage. How's it looking for the undercut?”

“Understood Spirou, my heart is fine, thank you very much!”, joked de Champignac. “Let's see how the pit stops go, shall we? An official is coming over here, certainly about the contact, we'll tell him you've held back to not gain advantage.”

_**2:12 PM – Race control investigating Arnage incident.** It was an optimistic move on Spirou's part, but neither the Peugeot nor the Chrysler seem to have any damage, and Spirou did not gain the position, so the commentary team think there'll be no further action._

“Two laps before the final stop, Haru”, said Rei.

“I'm getting out like we said, right?”, asked the driver. The tactician wasn't sure. A few moments ago, he had been certain that the fight for the win was over, but seeing Haru defend well had given him hope again. He hadn't calculated that Spirou was sitting back, waiting for his rival to pit. Rei asked Haru to hold and turned to Makoto for his opinion.

“Well, I think if Haru is passed before the pit stop, we can safely say we've lost”, he replied.

“Then do it like with me, Rei-chan”, intervened Nagisa. “If we have a chance to win, keep Haru-chan in!” Nagisa was referring to the previous pit stop, when Rei had suggested that Haru take over if the Peugeot's repair stop went on for over a lap, whereas Nagisa would have stayed in if the number 23 came out sooner.

Rei looked at Makoto, who nodded. All that remained was to find out if Haru approved. Makoto decided to ask him in person.

“Erm, Haru?”, he called. “I'm willing to give you my stint if we're still leading when you come in. You've got a chance to win us this race, while I... well...”

“I understand Makoto”, replied Haru. “I'll do my best.”

_**2:15 PM – No further action against car 23.** As expected, no penalty for Spirou, who isn't putting as much pressure on Nanase. Our analyst thinks that Peugeot are looking into a less spectacular, but safer, undercut strategy in the pits._

 

Haru's pace improved in the run up to the final pit stop, which would be fuel only. Even though the team was now expecting to end up second after the Peugeot's pit stop, Haru stuck to the deal: he hadn't lost the lead, so he stayed on board. As he drove away, Rei gave the pit crew a thumbs-up for the good work they'd done throughout the 24 hours. Unless a major issue came up, the mechanics wouldn't be needed anymore, and they gave themselves a round of applause. Rin had arrived to be with Gou through the final moments of the race, and he joined his sister in congratulating the pit team.

But the celebrations were interrupted by a shouting commentator and a gasp from the crowd: Spirou had made a mistake!

_**2:21 PM – SPIROU LOSES IT ON THE HUNAUDIERES!** Pushing too hard into the first chicane, the #23 Peugeot has to take the safety route, which might lose him the bunch of seconds he had hoped to gain in his undercut strategy._

Rei couldn't resist the urge to tell Haru about it.

“Speedbird, the 23 has gone straight-on at the first chicane! Still going, but time lost, we still have a chance!”

“Ok, but stop shouting!”, answered Haru. “Makoto, I owe you a stint.”

“Haha, nice one”, laughed Makoto. “Take care, Haru, and see you at the finish.”

“YEAH, GO HARU-CHAN!”, Nagisa shouted into Makoto's microphone.

“Thanks, guys, see you later”, acknowledged Haru. Rei smiled and said his piece.

“Ok Haru, 38 minutes remaining, that's probably 10 laps after this one. Unless you have a problem, we'll leave you alone. The team is fully behind you. Good luck!”

A couple of minutes later, Spirou made his final fuel stop... and came out just behind Haru! The Iwatobi garage jubilated, and the three boys on pit wall began to huddle together to watch the unfolding duel, team-mates as one behind Haru.

_**2:24 PM – IWATOBI RETAIN THE LEAD!** Spirou makes his stop, but comes out behind the #17 Chrysler! For the first time in TLM history, we have a direct battle for victory. Anything can happen in the next half-hour!_

“No choice, I have to go for a pass!”, Spirou noted. He quickly closed the small gap between himself and the car ahead, and started pulling out on the straights, flashing his headlights into Haru's mirrors. But the younger driver seemed unfazed by the attacks. He took defensive lines at the usual passing points and held on for the first lap.

Rei, Makoto and Nagisa remained huddled, nervously watching as Haru resisted Spirou's relentless pressure for a second lap.

_**2:28 PM – Final stop for the X2 champion-elect.** Jessie makes her final fuel stop, and Team Rocket look set for their third win in the 2014 season._

In the second lap after his pit stop, Spirou decided to change his approach. On the final part of the Mulsanne straight, he left his KERS unused, and did the same out of the Mulsanne hairpin. The car had thus stored energy from two heavy braking areas, and he came through the Porsche curves with full batteries. Since Haru was defending well in the classic overtaking spots, Spirou knew he'd do better to use his hybrid boost in other areas.

He pressed his KERS button briefly out of the Karting corner. The Ford chicane wasn't a serious passing opportunity, but he got the desired effect. Catching Haru off-guard, the Iwatobi driver thought that he was trying a move, and took a slightly wider line into the double left-right to cover for his rival's possible presence on the inside, thus losing some crucial momentum. Spirou seized his chance: he took a step back through the first chicane, and lined himself up to slingshot out of the second. Using his KERS up completely, he pulled alongside Haru on the main straight.

The crowd stood as Haru, realising his position was threatened, moved to the middle of the road. Spirou didn't let up: he moved to the right with him, not letting go of the boost button on his steering wheel. And it paid off: he gained the advantage through the fast right-hander at the end of the straight. But Haru wasn't done: with the inside for the first half of the Dunlop chicane, he braked late and ran deep into the corner. Spirou left him room, but he was still ahead, and the right-hander confirmed the position change: the number 23 Peugeot raced under the Dunlop bridge and through the Esses in the lead.

_**2:32 PM – PEUGEOT BACK IN THE LEAD!** Just two laps into the final stint, Spirou wins the drag race on the home straight to reclaim first place! Nanase tried to respond in the first chicane, but to no avail. Beautiful battle, lovely pass! The Iwatobi Chrysler now has 28 minutes to find an answer, but the previous stint indicated that it'll be very difficult._

The Iwatobi pit wall moaned as Spirou completed the overtake, yet they weren't massively disappointed. Haru had put up a brave fight and hadn't disgraced himself at all.

In the Peugeot camp, Fantasio applauded with the mechanics, who hadn't even put their chairs back out on the garage floor since the repair, such was the excitement of the hunt they had just witnessed. “That's more like Spirou: clever and clinical”, thought Fantasio.

 

_**2:42 PM – Peugeot on course for a third TLM.** Spirou has pulled out 8 seconds in two and a half laps; five to go. Iwatobi look set to finish second, which is an extraordinary result for their debut race. The #1 Veritas has lifted, so the #9 VW is safe in third, as is the #80 Alfa in the X2 lead._

As the gap increased, the pressure faded for Spirou. As his adrenalin boost subsided, he started to feel the consequences of the physical effort his run had demanded.

“I have cramps in my arms”, he complained.

“They're an illusion”, said Zorglub. Fearing last-minute problems was natural, and, as the race ended, drivers tended to notice minor discomforts they'd thus far ignored, or start doubting the normality of some noises from the car. “Stay concentrated on your driving, you have five laps to go.”

Spirou tried to dismiss the pain, but it only got worse. He had driven prior to Fantasio's trouble-strewn run, and then produced a monumental performance to regain the lead. De Champignac's words were coming back to haunt him: two double stints so close to each other, and so close to the end of the race, was probably too much, even for a driver as experienced and able as Spirou. His lap times stagnated.

_**2:54 PM – Peugeot taking it easy.** Haru Nanase is putting his foot down, setting a faster lap than the leader that time, but it's certainly too late. Spirou can be counted on to manage his 11-second advantage to the finish. Two and a half laps remain._

The fact that Haru was going faster than Spirou set alarm bells ringing at Peugeot.

“Be careful, Spirou, Nanase is accelerating, take care of your lead”, warned Zorglub.

“I can't go faster, not any more”, answered the driver, breathing heavily.

“Hang on in there, _mon ami_!”, urged de Champignac. “Only two laps to go!”

“Still two more?! Shit! I won't last!”

Panic was in the air. Spirou was getting desperately tired, and it was unthinkable to make a change; the advantage the team had was too short. To make matters worse, Haru was attacking and improving. It was as if he knew, and had decided to hunt Spirou down.


	17. TLM finish

**Iwatobi Town, Japan, Sunday 14 th September 2014, 9 PM (local)  
**

The same band of friends and family of the Iwatobi drivers had gathered at the Tachibana household to watch the end of the event. They had the TV turned off to talk to each other serenely over dinner. But Ren and Ran, Makoto's younger siblings, were eager to miss as little of the action as possible, and they raced for the remote as soon as their mother gave them the green light. Ran beat her brother to it, leaving Mrs. Tachibana to moan that Ren would probably complain that his sister had an advantage, starting closer to the living room door. The Hazukis, who also had several children, laughed; they knew what it was like. But it was a different scream that came from the next room.

“MUM! DAD! MAKO-CHAN IS LEADING!”

Before anyone else could move, Coach Sasabe flew into the living room to see it for himself. The graphic on the left side of the screen gave an overview of the positions, and it clearly showed: “1 : 17, 2 : 23”.

“THEY'VE PASSED THE PEUGEOT AGAIN!”, yelled Sasabe, as the other adults starting to come in.

“But they were two laps down, how did they do it?”, asked Rei's father.

“Leader must have had a problem”, guessed Makoto's father. “But look, the Peugeot is not very far behind!”

“Who's in the 17?”, wondered Kisumi. “Nagisa was in the car when we last watched, so it's either Makoto or Haruka...” Sasabe opened his laptop and went to the live timing page.

“It's Haru”, he answered. “Spirou is behind him by 12 seconds... and closing!”, he gulped.

“Oh boy, tall order then”, sighed Mrs. Hazuki. “Nagisa's told me about him, he says he's a fun chap, but also one of the best drivers in the race.”

At that very moment, a graphic informed the audience that Spirou had just set the fastest lap of the race, slicing another five seconds off of Haru's lead.

“Yep, he's one of the best alright...”, commented Kisumi.

 

The ensuing battle had everyone on the edge of their seats. When Spirou made contact with Haru at Arnage, there was a unanimous outcry from the group.

“Hey, he can't push Haru-chan like that!”, protested Ren.

“It's ok, he's not got past”, sighed Sasabe, “but he'd better not do that again!”

Then Peugeot attempted to undercut the leader in the pits, and everyone expected it to work when the Chrysler pit first. But Spirou's mistake at the first Hunaudières chicane relaunched Iwatobi's chances, and the room applauded as Haru sped past his rival as the black and gold car emerged from the pits.

After a further two laps though, there would be disappointment.

“No, don't give him room!”, yelled Kisumi as Spirou dived down the inside at the first corner. “Aaargh, it's over this time!”, he continued as the Peugeot completed the pass.

“At least it was clean”, groaned Sasabe. “Blooming KERS...” At least he hadn't cursed in front of the children.

“C'mon, Haru-chan, get him back!”, cheered Ren.

“Yeah, don't give up, Haru-chan!”, encouraged Ran.

The youngster's enthusiasm died down a little as Spirou did indeed pull away. “Haru's no match for a double TLM winner”, lamented Sasabe.

Shortly afterwards, Haru began beating Spirou's lap times and closing in. Again, like every other spectator, the Tachibana household read into it as the Peugeot driver managing his gap. Little did they know the situation was actually critical...

 

***

 

**Le Mans, France, Sunday 14 th September 2014, 2:55 PM  
**

Air temperature: 21°C. The light cloud cover and breeze made the atmosphere slightly fresher than the day before. It would probably rain in the evening, but the race will have been entirely dry, and the conditions ideal for the drivers.

Track temperature: 26°C. Again, the cloud cover meant the tarmac wasn't heating up too much, and again, the situation was perfect for pushing hard, as the rubber laid down on the track over the weekend made the racing line grippy. Stray off-line through one of the key corners though, and the handling would become more slippery.

Gap between Spirou and Haru with two laps to go: 9.4 seconds. The weather numbers may be moderate, but the action in the battle for the race win was still red hot. By going progressively faster as three o'clock neared, Haru was piling the pressure on his tired rival.

_**2:56 PM – The Alpine is back out.** With 225 laps covered, the #50 Looney Tunes car won't be classified. The #6 Digimon Team Cadillac hasn't officially retired, but it doesn't look like the car's going to leave the garage again, so it won't be classified either._

Yet, as exciting as the perspective of victory was, Rei had become his usual, rational self. The gap was impossible to close under normal circumstances, so it made no sense to him that Haru had started to attack. Worse, he felt somewhat cheated.

“I knew he could push harder”, he thought to himself, “why didn't he do it sooner?” He wanted to tell his driver that it was pointless to go faster now, but knew that Haru would either ignore his call, or answer back, or both.

“Iwatobi Racing, can we have a word with one of you before the finish?”, called a voice from behind him. It was a pit reporter for the circuit announcers. Rei wasn't in the mood.

“I talked to the media last”, he said, in Japanese so as not to offend the journalist. His eyes met Nagisa's, who smiled and put himself forward. The race engineer gave him a thumbs-up and turned back to the screens where he saw Haru going through the final pair of chicanes very aggressively, and power sliding out on to the home straight. He decided to put his foot down.

“Ok Haru, that's enough”, he said, tensely. “Final lap, it's too late for a counter-attack, time to keep it tidy and bring the car home.”

_**2:58 PM – FINAL LAP.** Spirou has lost 3.6 seconds to Nanase on that lap! With a 7.2-second lead, the Peugeot is safe, but the Iwatobi Chrysler is pushing: Nanase slides the car spectacularly out of the Ford chicane! Barring an injustice of biblical proportions, the #80 Team Rocket Alfa Romeo, which has led every lap of this race in X2, will win its class._

Meanwhile, the pit reporter was heard around the circuit talking to Nagisa.

“Sensational debut for the Iwatobi Racing Team, headed for second place and not letting up in these closing laps”, she commented, before asking, “Nagisa Hazuki, you started the car with several overtakes, but I bet you didn't imagine you'd end up even higher!”

“Sure, it's a big surprise for us!”, he beamed. “We even had a chance to win, I think that's gone, but Haru-chan did... er, I mean Haru Nanase, did his best. Overall, Haru was perfect, Mako was perfect, me, er... I spin once or twice... Apart from that, the whole experience has been amazing. I already wish next year's race was tomorrow!”

“He's not even tired”, laughed the reporter, “and neither is Haru Nanase, it seems. Not far to go now before we see you guys on the podium, enjoy the finish!”

_**3:00 PM – Nanase closes the gap to 6s.** The Iwatobi driver is still pushing as the clock strikes three. Can you believe that this is the gap after exactly 24 hours of racing?_

Rei feared that Haru would make a mistake, but he knew better than to repeat his call. While Nagisa and Makoto near him, and Rin and Gou in the garage with the pit crew, watched excitedly as Haru covered the final miles of the lap, the pictures on the big screens were showing a very stressed Peugeot camp.

“ _Spirou, mon vieux, il faut tenir!_ ”, Fantasio could be heard yelling on the radio.

“It would have been funny to have a pit box next to theirs like during the Test Days”, remarked Nagisa. Makoto laughed, but Rei was still concentrated on keeping track of Haru. The second sector time came through: it wasn't as fast as the previous lap's. Had he got the message after all?

_**3:01 PM – The Peugeot pit wall is very agitated.** The end of the lap couldn't come around soon enough, it seems! They've had some close wins in the past, but for some reason, they really don't look serene about this one._

To Rei's surprise, Haru called him.

“Butterfly, this one's not going to be as good. Got caught behind the 19 into the second chicane. At least we've given everything.”

“I'm not sure what sort of message I was expecting”, muttered Rei. Makoto smiled and answered.

“Understood, Speedbird. Not far now, we're all waiting for you!”

The sound of airhorns coming from the grandstands grew louder as the leaders came through the Karting corner for the final time. Spirou braked for the last chicane: left and right, and left and right again. Just beyond the clock on the pit straight stood the race director with the chequered flag.

_**3:02 PM – SPIROU PEUGEOT SPORT WIN LE MANS FOR A THIRD TIME!** Joy on pit wall, the French crowd are delighted, and so are we! What a heroic fight-back from Spirou in the final hours, and he leads Haru Nanase over the line by just 5.7 seconds! For the Iwatobi Racing Team, it's a dream debut with a well-deserved second place._

The Iwatobi garage was as overjoyed as their rivals. While Gou and Rin celebrated with the mechanics, Nagisa noticed the gap.

“Haru-chan, you hero... That close!”, he gasped.

“Great finish, Haru, beautiful race”, commented Rei on the radio. “But really, you didn't have to speed up at the end.”

“I wanted to, Rei”, was Haru's answer. “I wanted to make the most of... Um, I'm being waved off to the right?”

“Er, yes Haru, that's normal”, replied Rei. “No parade lap here. You'll be directed to... parc fermé, I think.” Rei was struggling to concentrate in the festive atmosphere around him, with Nagisa shouting and Makoto getting congratulations from Rin, and he was forgetting the post-race procedures.

“Yeah, I'm being directed out behind the garages”, confirmed Haru. “See you shortly.”

_**3:03 PM – KIA AND CADILLAC ON THE X2 ROSTROM.** Droopy and Judy Jetson cross the line in close sequence, but 5 laps apart. The cars aren't coming in all together, and we will have to wait another minute or so before confirming the final podium finishers._

All the cars but one would head out to parc fermé, where they would face post-race inspection. The exception was the race-winning Peugeot Onyx. It plodded up the busy pit lane, working its way through the mass of mechanics, engineers, personnel from every team, who applauded as it passed. While many waved at him, Spirou couldn't wave back. He had to stay aware to navigate through the crowd.

“Just one more minute, and then... _then_ , it will be over”, he thought to himself.

_**3:04 PM – VAG KANTO SALVAGE THIRD OVERALL.** Long-time leaders of the race with the number 8, it is the number 9 crew of Gary Oak, May and Dawn that saves the day for Volkswagen. They finish two laps clear of the 2013 champions, Peter Perfect Racing, who turned the pace down in the last hour. A fine 24-hour debut for the Veritas RS III._

Spirou finally stopped his car on the chequered floor of the winner's enclosure, just below the podium. The golden streaks on the otherwise carbon black machine were much less shiny than at the start: the dirt, grit and dead flies made the inscription on the front splitter harder to read.

Likewise, the driver had lost much of his lustre. He was finished. He sat back in his seat, closed his eyes and tried to catch his breath.

_**3:05 PM – TEAM ROCKET ALFA CORSE WIN X2!** They led comfortably for the entire race, yet they had to wait the longest for confirmation of their result. The 2012 winners simply had it all this week: scorching pace and exemplary reliability. Our overall winner is now parked in Victory Lane, and no doubt a big, big celebration is about to start!_

“Engine off, Spirou?”, asked an engineer. The driver opened his eyes, replied “doing that”, and cut the power. He then removed his safety harness, opened the door and extracted himself from the cockpit. It had never been this hard to leave the car. Spirou was exhausted after his efforts, and, once he was out, the clamour from the crowd seemed more aggressive than welcoming. Dazed by the noise, sweating and weak, he let himself fall to his knees and curled up, panting heavily. After a short moment, Fantasio arrived.

“Spirou, matey! You did it!”, he shouted as he kneeled in front of his colleague. With his hand on Spirou's shoulder, he could feel that his breathing was broken, as if he was crying. Relief, pain, joy... Nothing clearly dominated in Spirou's mind, he was still rather confused.

“What an incredible drive!”, continued an elated Fantasio, shaking his team-mate as if to get him to come out of his bubble.

“Come on, get up, champ!”, called Zorglub from the edge of the enclosure, where he was enjoying his first Le Mans finish with the engineers.

Spirou lifted his head, and his teary eyes met the joyous sparkle in those of his long-time friend's.

“You won, Spirou!”, Fantasio insisted. Spirou looked past his friend's shoulder, and could see all the mechanics congratulating Zorglub and the Count of Champignac. He looked back at Fantasio, and managed to say three words.

“No, _we_ won.”

Spirou then grabbed Fantasio's wrist with his right hand, and pushed up with his left, signalling he wanted to get up. Fantasio rose first, and helped his still helmet-clad friend to stand. Once on his two feet, Spirou's demeanour changed radically. He was no longer a lonesome fighter, isolated in his chariot, but part of an effort that dozens of people had participated in. Pushing Fantasio along with him, he walked over to where those very people were waiting.

_**3:07 PM – Penelope Pitstop (driver, #1 Peter Perfect Racing Veritas, 4 th):** “no hard feelings over losing the crown, we didn't really have the car to defend it. But the RS III is progressing well, and to finish the 24 with few setbacks is very encouraging.”_

For another minute, Spirou basked in the jubilant atmosphere of a winning squad. It wasn't the first time he had won the 24-hour classic, but this one had been very hard to get, and he was coming to terms with the fact that his team had actually got it.

Meanwhile, Fantasio was talking with the same interviewer that Nagisa had spoken to earlier. It was in French though, and Rei's understanding of the language still wasn't great even after a whole month in the country. As a manager on more administrative matters, Gou was a little more fluent.

“Do you know what he's talking about?”, he asked her.

“I'm not really listening, I'm too excited, I can't wait to see the boys up there in a few minutes!”, she added, pointing at the podium. The Iwatobi Racing Team's pit was not far down pit lane, so they decided to stay put and watch the post-race ceremonies from their pit wall. Makoto and Nagisa had been whisked off to parc fermé, where they would meet up with Haru again, and be led to the rostrom.

Back in Victory Lane, Spirou had finally removed his helmet. Although happiness had taken over, his face was still clearly marked by the strain he had been under, and his hair was a complete mess. The circuit interviewer wanted a word from him too. Again, it was in French, but Rei made out the word 'Iwatobi'.

“Spirou's talking about us!”, he told Gou, a sentence which disguised a demand for her to listen. After a moment, she blushed.

“Oh... it's nothing bad”, she said.

“What did he say, then?”, asked Rei. Like her brother, when his homestay family had talked about Haru, and what Rin felt about him, Gou struggled when it came to talking about admiration in front of those concerned.

“He said... we were very professional... and that we could win this race in the future.”

While Gou was a little embarrassed by the compliments, Rei suddenly felt uneasy for a different reason.

“In the future...”, he muttered. He looked at Rin. To think that he had three years to get a win, while his team already had only two races left! Well, unless Chrysler would renew them, and after a result like this one, how could they not?

Rei's next step of reasoning would have probably been something along the lines of “wait a moment, the manufacturer will probably renew, but will Haru?”, but a journalist asked for a few words from “Rei Ruyagazaki”, leaving him in the more buoyant mood of his previous thought.

_**3:08 PM – The winner talks in Victory Lane.** A worn out but overjoyed Spirou tells us that he nearly lost the race due to tiredness, which explains the Peugeot pit wall's worries late in the race. He says that second place for the Iwatobi Racing Team is “not just beginners' luck: these guys took the race seriously and made very good decisions”._

All three drivers having said their piece to the press, one more customary thing was planned in the winner's enclosure before going up to the podium: have the victorious crew stand on the roof of their car. Once Spirou was reunited with his hat and pet squirrel, and once he had had a quick drink, he was ready. Aided up on to the car by Fantasio and Zorglub, the trio raised their arms as confetti rained down on them. This first phase of the celebrations couldn't last too long, as fifteen other drivers were waiting in the antechamber of the podium.

_**3:09 PM – Rei Ryugazaki (race engineer, #17 Iwatobi Racing Chrysler, 2 nd):** “we definitely exceeded our own expectations! The drivers were fabulous throughout, we had no major scares and good, consistent pace. Our first time here has been very enjoyable.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've made it this far, congratulations: a new phase of the fic is about to start, with far more emphasis on character development, as the team takes on the remaining two races of the season - a 6-hour race at Donington Park, UK, 2 weeks after the TLM, and their home race, the Suzuka 8 Hours, in November. Some seeds for this arc have already been planted...
> 
> The boys will have to come down to Earth, but first: PODIUM!
> 
> Technical note: about the two cars mentioned at the beginning that won't be classified, that's a real thing. To be classified as finishers, cars must a) physically cross the finish line and receive the chequered flag, AND b) complete at least 70% of the winner's distance - 241 laps in this case. The #6 Digimon entry, stuck in its garage, failed to do a), while the #50 Alpine didn't complete b).


	18. The podium

As the overall winners entered the room leading to the podium, a room lined with the trophies and medals that would be distributed, the drivers present applauded. The Peugeot crew, the three drivers and the team principal, joined in as they congratulated their opponents and the top X2 finishers on their race.

“Hey, you guys again!”, shouted Fantasio at Gary Oak, May and Dawn, the Volkswagen trio who had claimed third. As they had focused on the battle for the win, the Belgians hadn't remembered who had finished third, and they were happy to see the crew they had fought the previous year, en-route to second place behind the Peter Perfect Audi. Gary shook Fantasio's hand, and then Spirou's.

“Super end to the race, Spirou, you had us on the edge of our seats”, he commented.

“Yeah, it took it out of me”, replied the red-haired ace. “It's a good thing that we won, because that means the newspaper will wait until Tuesday for me to file my race report... I have tomorrow off so I can recuperate!”

“Recuperate from the hangover, right?”, Gary cheekily remarked.

“Hey!”, moaned Spirou, “do I have some sort of reputation now? It was just that once! _That once_ , two years ago, and now everyone's still going on about it!”

“What's that about? I wasn't there!”, said Zorglub.

“Well...”, started Gary, before Spirou interrupted, laughing.

“No! No, nothing, say nothing! You'll probably just tell a tall tale on the off-chance I'd forgotten everything, but I'll have you know, I actually remembered what I did that night!”

 

On the other side of the room, the Iwatobi boys were drinking some water while talking with the X2 winners. Or, more exactly, Nagisa was talking with James about the Toyota LMP1 that Team Rocket had raced the year before, and Makoto was being congratulated on his result and on his physique by Jessie.

Haru was just drinking water. Like after his qualifying run, he was a little tired. His reaction in parc fermé had been rather muted because of that. But, inside, he was happy. His team-mates would step on a podium, and he was satisfied that he had contributed to getting them somewhere they would love to be. Then the tiredness kicked back in. Another glass of water. “I want a bath, and not just because I'm sweaty”, he thought.

“Hey, Haru! There you are!”, called Spirou, who would have wanted to go in for a friendly accolade, but the look on his face took him aback.

“Whoa, you look disappointed”, he noted, grabbing a glass rather than his rival of the day. “If it's the tap at Arnage, I'm sorry, it wasn't a good move.” Haru shook his head and quietly replied “it's not that”. Makoto seized the opportunity to get away from Jessie.

“Haru's not a very expressive person”, he explained.

“And I'm tired”, Haru said, but it got drowned in his friend's words as he added “but I can tell you, he's really happy with the race he had with you.”

Makoto's intervention was awkward, partly because he was forcing the issue to start a new conversation. Spirou wasn't sure what to say next. As Jessie returned to talking with James, Nagisa arrived and waited to know what the topic was.

“Man, I'm tired”, said Spirou, stretching his arms. “I'm going for a big sleep after the podium and photos downstairs... But hey, you guys should party with us tonight.”

“Eh, seriously?!”, exclaimed Nagisa. “Inviting us AGAIN, Spirou-san?!”

“Sure!”, smiled Spirou. “I mean, we've been on the podium a few times before, so we know the best spots in town! But I'm telling you, make sure you get some rest, because it's going to be an all-nighter!” Spirou then lowered his voice, and seemed to talk specifically to Haru. “Oh, and you remember that thing about the visions? Well, late in the race...”

“X1 FINISHERS PLEASE!”, called the race director, signalling the start of the ceremony. Spirou laughed, knowing he'd been timed out.

“Ok... Actually, maybe it's better if I don't tell you now”, he concluded, winking as he turned around. The Iwatobi drivers followed him to join the queue for the podium.

Nagisa wanted to press Spirou a little more about what he was about to say, but quickly changed his mindset to thinking what he'd do during the ceremony. Who would he spray with Champagne first: Haru or Makoto?

Makoto, meanwhile, was getting nervous. The week had been far more intense than he had ever imagined, and the thought that he was going to appear on the podium to be applauded by the thousands of spectators at the track was overwhelming. What was he supposed to do? It felt like a stupid question, he daren't ask it. But, of course, Haru noticed Makoto tensing up.

“Smile and wave”, he whispered, as calm as ever. He'd been on a few podiums that year, so he was used to dealing with it. Like he was used to dealing with the pressures of competition. Makoto realised how important Haru had been in this race. Much more important than he'd been, he thought, but he didn't dwell on that: he was going to celebrate an incredible achievement with two of his closest and longest-standing friends.

“It's a pity that Rei can't be up here with us”, he thought. Only the race engineer of the winning team was entitled to go to the podium, as he collected a trophy for the team, or in the case of a factory squad, the manufacturer.

“Just watch what the third-place crew does”, Haru continued, as Gary, Dawn and May were called forward. Knowing that they were next, the three Iwatobi drivers were intimidated by the noise of the airhorns and cheers. They could expect an even louder reception, as they had been the surprise of the race, and had kept the crowd on their feet in the final hours of the race.

 

As the Volkswagen drivers took their place on the right-hand step of the podium, the circuit announcer built up his call for the second-place finishers. Next to the team's pit wall, Gou blushed and shivered as she heard “ _magnifique exploit_ ” be used to describe the result.

“Je vous demande de faire un accueil triomphal, un tonnerre d'applaudissements pour les pilotes de la Chrysler numéro dix-sept d'Iwatobi Racing Team: Makoto Tachibana, Haru Nanase et Nagisa Hazuki!”

Gou's screams joined the chorus of cries from the pit crew as their names sounded on the public address system, while Rin and Rei looked proudly up to see Nagisa leap out of the antechamber with seemingly unbounded energy, ahead of Haru and Makoto who walked, side by side, each with one arm around the other, the other hand waving.

In Japan, the Tachibana household was in hysterics. The children, Ren, Ran and Hayato, were yelling and jumping around, while Makoto's parents were considering getting one of their best bottles of drink out for the occasion. Nagisa's mother and Miho Amakata were in tears, while Goro, Kisumi and Rei's father began a loud rendition of “We are the champions”, even though the boys were second.

Back at Le Mans, the three friends hugged before standing on their left-hand step of the rostrum. The circuit announcer was now arousing the audience for the arrival of the race winners, who got the biggest roar of applause of them all. Spirou and Fantasio were popular characters in France, and the fact that they had been driving a French car for a while had made the local interest for the race grow. Their tactician, Pacôme de Champignac, accompanied his old scientist arch-rival Zorglub; the collaboration between the two had been instrumental in their victory.

The Peugeot crew moved to shake hands with the teams they'd beaten.

“Crap, we forgot to salute the others!”, yelled Nagisa, bouncing off the step to go over to the Volkswagen trio. Everyone was amused by the sight of the young man running across the podium to bow apologetically and shake hands with the third-placed squad. Makoto was both amused and embarrassed. Gary Oak shouted “rookies!” at him for a joke, before signalling to say not to worry, and Haru and Makoto waved to them instead.

Once all three crews were in place, those who had caps removed them to hear out the Belgian national anthem, after which the prize-giving took place. After the Kanto team, the Iwatobi squad received their second-place medals. Nagisa held his up proudly, while pointing down towards the pit crew with the other hand, shouting Rei-chan's name. Not that he'd hear it, but he saw the gesture, and waved back. After the first-place medals had been given out, it was time for the champions to be presented with the Toon Le Mans trophy. As this was Peugeot's third win, they would get to keep the massive, 80-centimetre-high relic, with a number 24 mounted on the top, representing the race duration. Spirou wouldn't have had it in him to hoist the heavy reward, so it was a good thing that he wasn't alone. Congratulated by the two surrounding trios, the four men raised it together as another round of confetti was thrown.

 

With that picture done, the most fun part of the ceremony could begin. Of the Peugeot trio, Zorglub was quick to pick up his bottle of bubbly and aim it at de Champignac, with his classic war cry “DOSE MAXIMUM!” The older man turned away in time: he quickly felt his back getting wet as Zorglub hosed him down generously.

Of course, Nagisa was the fastest of the Iwatobi drivers to get busy. He had decided to go after Makoto first, and shouted “think fast, Mako-chan!” before firing the contents of his bottle straight at Makoto's face, nearly dislodging his cap. Haru, meanwhile, had joined Fantasio and the VW Kanto drivers who were ganging up on the man who single-handedly won the race, Spirou – the red-haired driver ended up completely soaked.

Gary Oak gave Nagisa a little of his spray as if it were payback for passing him in the first corner, at which point Makoto went after Haru. The dark-haired driver would have responded by emptying the remaining quarter of his bottle over Makoto's head, but he noticed that he had been well drenched by Nagisa, so it seemed pointless to add more. Thinking that Haru wasn't interested in a Champagne fight with him, Makoto didn't play for long, then took a gulp of wine. Haru looked at his bottle, decided he wasn't going to drink it, so he showered Makoto anyway.

As the battle, which had lasted no longer than a minute, came to a close, the Peugeot squad invited all the podium finishers to join them on the top step for some final photos, before leaving the podium to the X2 finishers and heading off to the press room.

 

***

**TOON LE MANS RACE - FINAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER 24 HOURS**

Started: 35 (24 X1, 11 X2) / Running: 16 (12 X1, 4 X2) / Classified: 14 (11 X1, 3 X2)

1\. Journal Spirou Peugeot Sport - #23 Peugeot Onyx - Spirou/Fantasio/Zorglub - 343 LAPS (4674.75 km @ 194.59 km/h)

2\. Iwatobi Racing Team - #17 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve - H.Nanase/M.Tachibana/N.Hazuki - +0'05"728

3\. VAG Kanto 9 - #9 Volkswagen Nardo - G.Oak/Dawn/May - 342 LAPS

...

10\. (1st X2) Team Rocket Alfa Corse - #80 Alfa Romeo TZ3 - Jessie/James/Giovanni - 323 LAPS

12\. (2nd X2) MGM Kia Motorsport - #52 Kia GT4 Stinger - Droopy/Dripple/McWolf - 320 LAPS

13\. (3rd X2) Spacely Sprockets Team Jetson - #75 Cadillac Evoq - G.Jetson/Ja.Jetson/Ju.Jetson - 315 LAPS

...

RET. Samezuka Academy Mazdaspeed - #22 Mazda Furai - R.Matsuoka/S.Yamazaki/A.Nitori - 128 LAPS

***

 **RACE DRIVING TIMES** (garage time deducted)

#23 Peugeot - Spirou 9 hrs 00 - Fantasio 9 hrs 08 - Zorglub 5 hrs 45

#17 Chrysler - Haru 8 hrs 22 - Makoto 7 hrs 58 - Nagisa 7 hrs 36

***

 **PODIUM QUESTIONS** (excerpt)

_The 17 th Toon Le Mans 24-hour race has seen the victory of the Journal Spirou Peugeot Sport team, who have thus become the first triple champions of the event, winning by the smallest of margins: only 5.7 seconds! Spirou, we saw you very emotional in Victory Lane: this third win obviously meant a lot to you._

**Sp:** That was just a crazy finish, it was incredibly hard. I had nothing left at the end, I had pushed so hard before to catch up with Haru, then he defended well, and I made mistakes... In those last few laps, I was hurting so much, cramps in places I didn't even know I had muscles! And fighting for concentration, that was even harder. Yeah, it was so close, the gap was close, and I was close to being finished, it was quite a relief when I saw the chequered flag, and I was in pain getting out of the car. Then I saw the team, Fantasio, and realised we'd done it! We worked so hard to stay in the game overnight and from the start, we had to really go and fetch this win. This third win, yeah... Very special, against some new opponents, and with the new X-cars, it's been a huge weekend. I'm very, very happy now for the whole team, but I'm also very, very, very tired!

_Fantastic race indeed from you and your team, congratulations of course! And congratulations to the Iwatobi Racing Team, second today: first race and you're on the podium! Haru Nanase, what a feeling it must be!_

**HN:** Sure, it's nice to finish, that was what we wanted to do. Nagisa and Makoto drove very well, Nagisa's start was brilliant, and Makoto took good care of the car, and he's the only one among us to try to do triple stints. We came here for an experience, I think we've come away with a lot, and we took every chance we could. In the end, obviously, the best driver won though, there's no question about that.

_What about those fast final laps, were you putting a last little bit of pressure on Spirou?_

**HN:** No, I just felt I had it in me to go faster at the end, I'd managed my stint to have that little reserve. Low fuel, last laps... I just went faster.

***

 **COMMENTATOR'S COMMENT** (excerpt)

**Haru Nanase: future big fish!**

Once in a while, destiny throws at the sport a driver capable of a giant-killing performance that makes you think “he's a future race winner”. The last time that happened was when Naruto Uzumaki scored a pole in the highly-competitive GTE category in his first season; sure enough, two years later, he came out on top of the 26-car strong class at Le Mans.

Needless to say, the whole commentary team had that special feeling once again after watching Haru Nanase's 90-minute masterclass at the end of the race. Managing his efforts, keeping cool and defending without ever setting a wheel wrong, Haru may have lost out to a faster and more experienced driver, but he drove maturely, never exceeding his limits, and yet, even as the win looked out of reach, he didn't let up either. He accelerated when many would have wound down, and that forced Spirou to prove just how much he wanted his third TLM.

On top of his intelligence, stamina and handling skills, Haru Nanase is embarrassingly modest, barely mentioning his point of view in the post-race press conference. It is true that Nagisa Hazuki's three overtakes for position in the first hour and Makoto Tachibana's two triple-stints are both equally remarkable feats for drivers with no endurance racing experience. But Haru's performance in qualifying was the alpha and his final stint the omega in making everyone believe a rookie victory was possible.

However, this race was particularly murderous on the hardware, and the team was fortunate to have as few problems as they did – crucially, they escaped the turbo failures that the Fords, the McLaren and their works colleagues suffered. The next race is shorter, and it will show how much they have to improve before becoming a force on a regular basis, a verdict that will likely be severe. Converting their lightning debut into a race win is a process which, if Uzumaki's case is anything to go by, is likely to take years, and it will try their patience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... and the team's distance was in the summary all along! XD  
>  This closes the Le Mans arc; next, we cross the Channel and fast-forward to the run-up to the Donington race.
> 
> By the way, the 14th September, day of the TLM finish, is Sosuke's birthday. Unfortunately, retiring from the race wasn't a great way to get it going... Rin didn't forget though: he booked a restaurant for the Samezuka team to go out and celebrate with Sosuke. Nagisa suggested that they join the podium finishers at the night club later on, but Sosuke was more intent on a laid-back evening.
> 
> I also drew some scenes of the fic (roughly one per chapter), in particular to design the race suits, helmets and so forth. For what it's worth, I'm not a fab drawer, but I've put illustrations up on the [aers-radio](http://aers-radio.tumblr.com) tumblr blog (direct link on the _Fast! & FastER!_ page).


	19. Homesick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've put [some sketches](http://aers-radio.tumblr.com/post/124093147326/the-first-story-arc-in-sketches-by-me-more-or) from the first arc up on my tumblr. I did these regularly; for what they're worth, they give an idea of what things look like.
> 
> Now on to the second arc, beginning a few days before the Donington weekend. And some Samezuka POV, finally.

**Loughborough indoor go-kart track, England, Tuesday 23 rd September 2014**

“Haha! I win again!”, jubilated a broadly grinning Rin, fists raised. “You know what they say, Haru: 'swim on Monday, win on Tuesday'!” As often with Rin's humour, his parody of the old motor racing mantra was far-fetched, and the response was flat.

“I don't get it”, said Rei, who had sat out the race. He was rather uncomfortable with the closeness of the tyre walls on this circuit, and, having run into them twice, he reckoned that the race would go more smoothly if he didn't start.

“Well... It's the saying 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday'”, Rin explained. “I... I thought you'd know that saying.” Makoto and Haru were more amused by their red-haired friend's embarrassment than the actual pun. Rin noticed it and tried to change the focus back to his strong point. “Anyhow, that's twice I've beaten you, Haru, in two different sports!”

His rival attempted an excuse. “This track's too tight for me.”

“I thought you preferred it tight, Haru!”, joked Rei.

“What applies to swimsuits doesn't apply to everything”, answered Haru, with a smile. Rin and Makoto laughed.

Suddenly, remarks from the third-placed driver, Sosuke, broke the joyous atmosphere.

“Hey, Hazuki! You were swerving like a lunatic out there!”, he told Nagisa.

“I was protecting the position”, defended the shorter, thinner and younger driver.

“At that level, it's called blocking”, insisted Sosuke. “Look at me when I'm talking to you!”

Rei got closer to his friend, fearing things could get ugly. The Iwatobi boys still knew very little about Sosuke. He was always remembered as having a reserved personality, but a cold kind of reserved rather than the shy sort, and not knowing what he'd been through in the year following his graduation didn't make it any easier for them to work out how to deal with him. Obviously, the Samezuka team knew better, and Haru reckoned that if Rin wasn't panicking, Nagisa would probably be alright. But Sosuke was still ranting.

“Zig-zagging like a nutter is not defensive driving, it's dangerous driving! And if you do that on Sunday, I'll make sure you get a penalty.”

“Below the belt, Sosuke”, snapped Rei. “The circuit manager didn't take any action, so it was fine.”

“Besides, you got the position in the end”, continued Nagisa, “and I'm not exactly happy at how you took it.”

“With the way you were driving, I HAD to take some risks!”, argued Sosuke.

“Now, now, guys, that was a fine duel you had”, intervened Makoto, in an attempt to satisfy them both. “I actually liked seeing how you two raced hard against each other!” Once again, Makoto had finished behind the leading group, but comfortably ahead of Ai, Gou and Seijuro. “The race is over, let's get changed and go out to dinner”, he concluded.

“Huh? When did Haru and Rin leave?”, noticed Rei, who ran off after them. Nagisa and Sosuke exchanged one last, intimidating glance, and followed suit.

 

Sosuke drove the two teams back to Nottingham, where they were staying, in a minibus they had borrowed. After an afternoon of go-karting, Gou looked at her phone.

“Hey, Rei, the manufacturer's sent me something”, she said, before reading the e-mail's object, “Test Day Brands Hatch October 4.”

“Yeah, that's a test day for the works team, so I remember”, answered Rei.

“Not anymore”, stated Gou, with a shocked look on her face. “They want us to do it.”

“What?!”, shrieked Rei, and, behind them, Nagisa and Makoto could also be heard gasping in disbelief. Gou read the message.

“After your remarkable Le Mans result and owing to your excellent technical feedback, we would like to offer you the chance to represent us at the track day at Brands Hatch, Kent, on Saturday, October 4, 2014, organised with our oil supplier and their other major AERS partner, McLaren. It will be mainly a test day, as several new components will be fitted to your vehicle for trials, and some promotional filming will be done.”

“Am I going to have to act again?”, asked Haru. Rei was a puzzled by something else.

“They want us to test new parts? How are we, beginners, supposed to judge them?”, he wondered.

“Don't be like that, Rei”, replied Gou. “Chrysler thought Makoto's report on the car was very good! Ok, Haru's was too short, and Nagisa's could have been more objective and technical, but they really are happy with our work! I can't believe we're getting this proposition!”

“But if we go, we have to push back our flights home”, noted Makoto.

“Leave that to me, Makoto-senpai”, said Gou, “we'd only need to stay another week, and we're not changing country.”

“Wowowoah, hold on!”, Rei intervened. “Shouldn't we be discussing whether or not we should accept this before planning stuff?” Rin could be heard laughing in the front seat next to Sosuke.

“There's no discussion to be had, Rei”, he chuckled. “With the driving time your team gets outside the races, you should accept without hesitation!”

“Yeah, more time in the car!”, said Nagisa, enthusiastically.

“We're going to have a couple of test days of our own when we get back to Japan”, Rin continued, “not to mention another one a few days before Suzuka. If you want to keep up with us, you've got to practice!”

“Huh, keep up with you, Rin-chan?”, said Nagisa. “But we're the ones ahead!

“On performance, right now, yes, but the BoP will eventually put our cars level”, explained Seijuro. “In time, it'll come down to how well each team knows their car, and I can't see how you'd be ahead of us in that department.”

“Seijuro-san is right! Rei-chan, we've got to do that test!”, insisted Nagisa.

Rei sighed. An extra week of thinking about motor racing didn't honestly suit him. He was concerned that he was falling behind his university courses. He knew that Nagisa was less worried about his lessons, which irritated him, because he knew that his friend could lose grip very quickly on that front. After an intense and busy Le Mans week, Makoto was struggling to come back down to Earth and get into his lecture notes too. But Seijuro and Rin had a point. A point and an advantage. As part of a works team, they could pretty much just turn up at the Mine Circuit, a proving ground owned by Mazda, and hop into the Furai that was stationed there permanently. Rei asked Makoto and Haru for their opinions.

“Am I going to have to act again?”, repeated Haru.

“Haru, you are a PR nightmare!”, laughed Rin.

“The email doesn't say what the promotional shoot will involve”, answered his sister. “But it doesn't sound like you're opposed to driving there, am I right?” Haru shrugged, and Makoto giggled lightly.

“Ok, it looks like at least two of the three drivers want to go”, he said. “I think it can't hurt to have more practice. We'll only be here another week. We can probably visit London again on the way down, we missed a few landmarks.”

“The pool for the 2012 Games for example”, smiled Haru.

Rei nodded in Gou's direction, and she began typing an e-mail reply.

Sosuke took the opportunity of that subject coming to a close to start a new debate.

“Where are we going for dinner, guys?”, he asked.

“Fish and chips”, was Haru's quick answer.

“Not again, Haru!”, Makoto whined.

“Well I'm vetoing Indian”, squeaked Ai, who, it was found out the previous week, was not keen on spicy food at all. Seijuro had made an uncanny remark on leaving that restaurant: “Nitori, if you want to look like Rin, take note: it's the hair that's red, not the face!”

The debate continued for a little, until a compromise was found on Italian food.

 

The ambiance at the dinner table was as good as ever. Aided by a few glasses of white wine, Sosuke and Nagisa had put their differences behind them and were exchanging jokes. Makoto and Haru were surprised, and Nagisa openly amazed, at how many Sosuke knew, given his usually stern attitude. Seijuro, the oldest of the nine, joined in, and told some particularly saucy ones. Speaking Japanese in an Italian restaurant in Britain, there was thankfully little chance that anyone else would understand them.

Then Seijuro left the table as his phone rang. Rin explained.

“His girlfriend always rings at this time, just before she goes to work.”

“It's really early back home though, isn't it?”, mentioned Makoto.

“Yeah”, confirmed Rin, “she starts early and has a rather long commute.”

Rei dropped his fork on his plate. He had chuckled occasionally at the jokes, but no-one had noticed that he hadn't said a word for a while. Haru looked his way as the sound of metal meeting china caught his attention. “Back home”, he heard his former _kohai_ repeat.

“Rei, are you alright?”, he called discreetly. Rei's nostalgic eyes met Haru's. After a short moment, the race engineer looked away out the window again.

“I'm just... a little fed up of Europe”, he muttered. He spoke gently, so as not to bring anyone else down, but, at the same time, he was frank. He knew he could afford to be when talking to Haru, who let no emotion appear upon hearing Rei's complaint, which continued. “It was nice in the run-up to Le Mans, we had a good balance. Also, the academic workload wasn't huge because it was mostly about keeping up during the holidays. But now, the courses are starting again. In that respect, I really want to get back to the faculty, where I can work undisturbed.” Rei paused, visibly upset, before adding: “that's why I'm not happy at spending another week here, out and about like this.”

“We don't have to be out and about all the time, Rei”, interrupted Makoto softly, who had overheard the last couple of sentences. Like Haru, he kept a low profile so as not to worry the others. “After that crazy time last week, I have things to catch up on too. Next week is a study week for me.” Rei looked a little better. He knew he wasn't the only one who would need to focus on that, but now he knew he wasn't the only one who was aware of it.

Nagisa's voice rose as Seijuro returned to the table. The blond youngster, in chorus with Sosuke, was teasing the Samezuka principal about how his girlfriend was rude to interrupt their joke contest.

“We have to make sure he joins us too”, mentioned Rei.

***

 

**Donington Park, England, Sunday 28 th September 2014: Donington 6 Hours race day**

_8:00 AM, in the Samezuka Mazdaspeed motorhome._

“What a miserable morning”, groaned Rin, looking out of the motorhome window after raising the blinds. The practice days had been dry, but rain had been predicted for the Sunday, and there it was. Sosuke came out of the bathroom wearing his race suit, running a towel over his hair. Having played Scissors against his room-mate's Rock, now was Rin's turn to use the shower, so he walked in that direction. Sosuke noticed the weather.

“Oh boy, our first wet session”, he commented.

“Yep”, replied Rin, a little anxiously. “It makes you wish we'd had some rain when we were testing in Japan.”

The short morning warm-up session provided some practice for the damp conditions, but 15 minutes per driver was hardly enough to really get used to it. While Ai took the middle quarter-hour, the two other drivers talked on pit wall.

“The grip is terrible, visibility is terrible, the traffic is terrible...”, complained Rin.

“Worse than in qualifying, huh?”, asked Sosuke.

“Yes, it is worse than in qualifying”, replied Rin, dejectedly. “We have no advantage in the corners.”

The damp surface effectively rendered the extra downforce the Mazda Furai had to compensate for its lower engine power useless. However, less power meant that the drivers could use a higher proportion of it under acceleration than others.

But the hardest part was the traffic to deal with. The circuit was short and narrow, and thirty-four cars were each running their own programme on it. Only the drivers who had years of experience to deploy made a good showing on Saturday. For the rest, including Samezuka and Iwatobi, qualifying had been more a question of damage limitation, because every single lap, someone would either get in their way or want to lap them.

“If we survive six hours like this, I'll be impressed”, confirmed Sosuke after his turn in the car. “It's so demanding in terms of concentration, you need eyes everywhere!” His body language was pessimistic. Still, the team had to try.

***

 

****DONINGTON 6 HOURS GRID & STARTING DRIVERS** **

Qualified: 34 (23 X1, 11 X2) / Start 11 AM local

 _Row 1_ \- 1. Kanto VW #8 (Ash Ketchum) / 2. Double-D Maserati #19 (Eddy)

 _Row 2_ \- 3. Spirou Peugeot #23 (Spirou) / 4. International Racing Ford #11 (Gordon Tracy)

...

 _Row 6_ \- 11. Team7 McLaren #7 (Sakura Haruno) / 12. Iwatobi Chrysler #17 (Makoto Tachibana)

 _Row 9_ \- 17. T-Rex Shelby #21 (Bernie) / 18. Samezuka Mazda #22 (Rin Matsuoka)

...

 _Row 12_ \- 23. (1st X2) Team Rocket Alfa #80 (James) / 24. (2nd X2) Looney Tunes Alpine #50 (Bugs Bunny)

 _Row 13_ \- 25. (3rd X2) Mystery Machines Volvo #88 (Shaggy Rogers) / 26. (4th X2) MGM Kia #52 (Droopy)


	20. Adversaries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As was the case at Le Mans, the bends at Donington Park have names; a track map will come in handy to situate the corners.

_11:50 PM, nearly one hour after the start._

The rain hadn't let up. It wasn't torrential, but it was a constant and rather persistant, and it kept the track very greasy. It had caught some drivers out, and the Safety Car had already been used once. But the slow conditions had one advantage: the car's consumption was better than normal, and the full-course caution had helped stretch the fuel mileage even further. Seijuro had therefore planned one-hour stints with a driver change at each pit stop. Rin had started, and was due in to hand over to Ai shortly. At 1 PM, Sosuke would get his turn, and the drivers would cycle through again over the final three hours.

_**11:51 AM – Duel on for third.** Gordon Tracy (#11 Ford) is becoming insistent behind the #19 Maserati of Eddy. Gordon is the resident wet-weather specialist for the team, but maybe the brutal nature of the GT90 compared to a P2 is making him a bit timid here._

It had been a fine first hour from Rin. He had made a couple of passes, and took advantage of a spin from Bugsy, the starter in the number 20 Shelby, to set his sights on his old friend Makoto, who had gone in the other direction. Surrounded by lady drivers at the start, he lost out to all of them: Sakura Haruno and Velma Dinkley pulled away from him without difficulty, and he was passed by Sam Simpson and Helga Pataki early on. The Iwatobi driver's lack of audacity and experience in the wet was glaring, but Rei had decided to play the safer, more cautious Makoto card first, rather than Nagisa. Haru, once again, could not be counted on to take the start.

Thus, the more confident and incisive Rin had the mental upper hand in the battle over 14th place, and took the position easily going into the chicane at the end of Starkey's Straight.

“I have passed Makoto!”, called Rin triumphantly. The cameras were focusing on the battle for third, but switched to the Mazda leading the Chrysler out of the Melbourne Loop. The visual confirmation made Ai excited.

“Way to go, senpai!”, he smiled. Sosuke and Seijuro had the headsets, and also congratulated Rin.

_**11:52 AM – Samezuka take 14 th.** The Mazda glides past the Iwatobi Chrysler that hasn't shown much in this race so far. Makoto Tachibana is playing it very safe in the wet conditions, while Rin Matsuoka is pushing and making good progress, having started 18th._

“Keep it up, Matsuoka”, the tactician encouraged. “You can have up to seven more laps on this tank, but if you want to hand over to Nitori a little early, just say. You've done a fantastic job.”

“I feel fine, thanks”, replied Rin. “Visibility isn't bad once you're through... Gap to next car?”

“You are P14, 7.2 behind the car ahead, repeat, 7.2.”

Rin managed to pull away from Makoto at a rate of a second a lap, but wasn't catching up with the Citroën GT ahead. The two radical prototypes were running roughly the same times, which didn't alarm Seijuro in any way. Then, unfortunately for Rin who would have been more than happy to go to the end of his fuel tank, he got an order from pit wall.

“Safety Car again, Matsuoka, we have to pit now. Repeat, box this lap, please.”

_**11:57 AM – THE BATTLE FOR THIRD HAS GONE OFF-ROAD!** Gordon Tracy (#11 Ford) outbrakes himself at McLean's and takes the #19 Maserati with him into the gravel trap! Eddy and Gordon are beached, so the Safety Car is out; expect a mass pit call._

Rin was just going into the Old Hairpin when he got the call, so he still had over half the lap to cover, and he just had to follow the X2 competitor ahead.

_**11:58 AM – The #0 is off at the Esses.** Dick Dastardly has spun, no-one else seems involved. And now someone else is off! Bugsy's slid off at Coppice! The rain might be coming down harder, so this full course caution is going to be a welcome break._

Out of the Melbourne Loop, Rin held left, indicating that he was committing to pit lane. The car ahead didn't move all the way to the left; nonetheless, Rin couldn't pass him. Out of the final hairpin, his neighbour was still roughly in the middle of the track, so he decided to push just a little before hitting the pit limiter. But at that point, the X2 car turned in on him!

“Crap!”, yelled Rin, slamming the brakes. The wheels locked up and the Mazda aquaplaned, which meant he had next to no stopping power, and it was the number 90's rear bumper that slowed him instead. Both cars came to a halt rapidly, and pointing vaguely in the right direction, but still, Rin had to wait for the other car to move.

_**11:59 AM – Mayhem in pit lane!** It's all happening at once! Now the #90 HTF Brivido and the #22 Mazda have collided at pit entry! There's a queue forming behind them, so Cuddles had better not stall!_

“X2 car turned in on me, Seijuro”, he said angrily.

“Ok Matsuoka”, replied the tactician, “tell us more when you get out of the car. Concentrate on bringing it in.” Once he had ended the conversation though, Seijuro ran one hand through his hair and shook his head. It was a very disappointing end to a fabulous stint. He was convinced that his driver had done nothing wrong, and he looked carefully at the replay as it came on. “The other guy's fault”, commented Sosuke. Seijuro agreed, then turned around to see the Furai was there and being serviced. “At least there seems to be no damage”, continued the race engineer while Rin strapped Ai in.

_**12:00 PM – Positions after one hour.** Brock (#8 VW) leads Zorglub (#23 Peugeot); Dee Dee (#3 Maybach) inherits third after the tangle between the #11 and #19. The top 3 have changed drivers, while Penelope Pitstop has stayed onboard the #1 Veritas in 4 th, as has Gerald in the #16 works Chrysler, who passes the #9 VW (driver change: May on board)._

Ai was away and joined the queue behind the Safety Car. Seijuro told him to report any suspicious vibration on the front end that could indicate damage from that contact with the X2 machine. But the message he got back wasn't what he expected.

“Miko-senpai, how did the 17 get back ahead of us?” A little confused, Seijuro looked at the timing screens. Yes, the Iwatobi car had passed them, yet their pit stop seemed normal. Then Seijuro noticed the driver, 'M.Tachibana', and answered.

“They must have kept the same tyres, because there's been no driver change. Still Tachibana at the wheel.” The Le Mans race had revealed Makoto to be an able conservative driver, and he was betting that he could make the wet-weather tyres last two stints. He thus saved 20 seconds on the pit stop, but controlling the wear meant he would have to make do with a rather slow pace on track.

“They've saved their faster drivers for later”, observed Sosuke, before giving advice to Ai. “Nitori, when the track goes green again, pass Tachibana as early as possible, we have to get a cushion on the 17.”

“ _Hai_ , I'll try, Sosuke-senpai!”, replied the grey-haired driver.

_**12:02 PM – X2 top five.** James leads in the #80 Team Rocket Alfa Romeo. The #50 Alpine (Porky Pig) and the #52 Kia (McWolf) are 2 nd and 3rd, followed by the two Volvos, #88 (Scooby-Doo) ahead of #64 (Barney Rubble). Needless to say, the incident between cars 22 and 90 is under investigation._

An official promptly came to the Samezuka pit wall to talk to Seijuro and Rin about the pit lane incident. Rin gave his version, stating that he didn't believe the car ahead had clearly committed to pit road, yet he turned in. As that discussion came to a close, the Safety Car peeled off into pit lane, and the pack of cars roared by to race again.

_**12:06 PM – GREEN FLAG.** Zorglub uses his KERS boost to try to get the jump on Brock, but the VW driver defends and forces the Peugeot to use the outside at Redgate. The rain seems to be calmer than 10 minutes ago, let's keep this restart clean!_

“Phwoah, the spray is insane!”, shouted Ai on the radio.

“Focus on your reference points on the side of the track, Nitori!”, said Seijuro. “Perhaps keep your distance with the car ahead until the field has spread out a bit.” So Ai backed off, taking care not to lose a place in the process. Makoto and Ai had a similar approach to racing: more conservative and more technically conscious, reading into the car's behaviour to detect what state it was in. So Ai found that he had no trouble keeping up with Makoto. Passing him would be another story.

_**12:11 PM – Penalties for the pit lane incident.** 30-second stop-and-go for car 90, the HTF Brivido, for “failing to observe pit entry protocol”. This was insisted upon at the driver briefing, hence the hefty punishment. Meanwhile, car 22 gets a driving standards warning for “not exercising caution under yellow”, which is rather soft for such an infringement._

_12:55 PM._

Throughout his stint, Ai found himself unable to get close enough to Makoto to attempt a move: he was simply too worried by the low visibility in the wake of the Chrysler. The laps went by, his hour was soon up and he hadn't managed to pressure his rival into a mistake.

“I'm sorry, Miko-senpai, I don't think I can do it”, apologised the driver. Rin intervened to reassure him.

“It's ok, Ai, it's already something that you've kept the car on the road.”

“Yeah, he's right”, Seijuro added. “Two more laps and we'll put Sosuke in.”

_**12:59 PM – Second round of pit stops starting.** The #23 Peugeot kicks off the hostilities: Zorglub hands over to the more experienced Fantasio. The #3 Maybach immediately behind them stops too, and, surprisingly, Dexter is getting back in._

Sosuke stood where his car would be shortly. Looking down pit road, he could see the Iwatobi team preparing for their stop. A driver change was in order there too, and, standing opposite him, wearing a white helmet and looking in his direction, was Nagisa.

A straight fight between the pit crews took place, each with the pressure to not lose any time to the other. There were no problems for either, and Nagisa came out of the pits safely ahead of Sosuke.

_**1:01 PM – Driver change, but no position change, for 11 th and 12th.** The duel between the #17 Iwatobi Chrysler and the #22 Samezuka Mazda continues: after Tachibana vs Nitori, it is now Hazuki vs Yamazaki. The #9 VW also makes its stop: May stays on board._

Seijuro issued his orders for the start of Sosuke's stint.

“Take a couple of laps to grasp the handling again, then we'll see if you've got the pace to go after Hazuki.”

“Oh don't worry”, replied Sosuke, “I'll have the pace to go after him...”

Rin and Seijuro smiled on hearing their driver's response. The battle promised to be more tonic and entertaining between Sosuke and Nagisa than between Ai and Makoto, and it showed straight away.

_**1:03 PM – Leader in.** Brock gives way to Misty in the #8 Volkswagen, and comes out a good 5 seconds clear of Fantasio, courtesy of extra laps on low fuel. The X2 field is also cycling through their pit stops: still the Alfa Romeo leads the Alpine and the #88 Volvo._

Nagisa was the playful type, who found fighting for position amusing, whether he was the hunter or the hunted. If he had been unhappy with Sosuke's reaction after the go-kart race at beginning of the week, it was because his vision of the battle had been very positive, and he felt offended that his driving style had come over as over-aggressive to his equally forceful rival. He relished another confrontation with the Samezuka driver, and began defending, but the conditions were not optimal for him. The lessened grip of the wet tarmac deprived him of the two things he liked to feel the most at the wheel: power and manoeuvrability. He was barely clearing the Mazda on the straights, and in the corners, the black car's higher levels of downforce did have some effect to allow Sosuke to close in.

Moreover, Sosuke was determined to beat Nagisa again. His own aggression grew as the laps went on and he became accustomed to the wet, but just as he decided to launch an attack, his attention was caught by flashing headlights in his mirrors and blue flags on the side of the track.

“Seijuro, are those blue flags for me?”, he asked on the radio.

“Affirmative, Yamazaki”, was the reply, “that is the leader. Second place 3 seconds back, so he'll be onto you soon too.”

“Understood”, acknowledged the driver. As he was losing out on the straights anyway, Sosuke lifted slightly out of Coppice to let the leader through. Nagisa, however, thought that it was the Mazda trying to pull alongside, so he cut off the number 8 going into the chicane. “Ugh, the fool!”, thought Sosuke.

_**1:20 PM – Lapping woes for the leader.** After Sosuke Yamazaki politely lets Misty draught past him on Starkey's Straight, his sparring partner, Nagisa Hazuki, seems less aware of the leaders coming up on him... He eventually gives way at the Melbourne Loop._

Sosuke maintained the pressure on Nagisa while the second-placed Peugeot closed in. This time, Nagisa was quicker to let the faster car by. The battle for 11th place was the closest on track, plus the leaders were coming through, so Rei could keep Nagisa informed on when he had to move over just by looking at the live pictures.

_**1:30 PM – Hourly update.** Misty (#8 VW) leads Fantasio (#23 Peugeot) by 2.1 seconds, a gap ebbing and flowing as they encounter traffic. 3 rd Dexter (#3 Mayb) +8”, 4th Peter Perfect (#1 Verit) +11”, 5th May (#9 VW) +23”. X2: Jessie (#80 Alfa) leads, second is Daffy Duck (#50 Alpine) +9”, third is Shaggy Rogers (#88 Volvo) +11”._

By now, the third-placed car was preparing to lap the duo. Out of the final hairpin, Sosuke let the Maybach, with superior power, go by. Nagisa had seen the pass in his mirrors, and went to the inside at the exit of Redgate to give Dexter a chance to slingshot out and take the inside at the Craner Curves. It was a little unorthodox, but Nagisa probably felt that he needed to make up for the less courteous backmarking he showed earlier.

“Now's the chance!”, thought Sosuke. He had a slight edge in the corners, and hoped to thread the eye of the needle by following Dexter underneath Nagisa at the daunting, downhill left-hander.

Sosuke had made his decision. He put his nose in, only to see Nagisa turn normally.

 

“NO!”

 

_**1:32 PM – VIOLENT CRASH AT THE CRANER CURVES!** The #17 Chrysler has spun off at high speed and slammed into the tyre wall hard! The car that finished second at Le Mans is written off, and we hope that Nagisa Hazuki is ok. Safety Car is out after nearly an hour and a half of clean, green running._

“Seijuro, Hazuki hit me! Still going... but I may have damage, that was a rough hit!”

“Understood, Yamazaki. Box if you feel you need it. Safety Car is out, no overtaking.”

“I should have guessed he'd shut the door on me. Typical Nagisa...”

“Ok, Yamazaki, I get the picture. We'll discuss it when you've finished the stint. For now, keep calm and no overtaking.”

_**1:32 PM – Mazda limping.** The #22 Furai has damage to the front-right. Could the Iwatobi-Samezuka duel have degenerated?_

“Hey, Yamazaki, we've seen you on the big screens, you do have damage. So box this lap, and we'll put Matsuoka in so you can have a breather. Repeat, box this lap, no overtaking.”

“Understood. Damn, Race Control is going to hear about this. To be hit like this twice in one race is stupid...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Ai did call Seijuro "Miko-senpai". Like at Iwatobi, keeping it short on the radio is essential, only Ai is too polite to drop a suffix, so he shortened Seijuro's name instead. Seijuro doesn't like it.


	21. Ruined

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the rare chapters I had a vague idea of a title for. "Ruins" or "Ruined"; either way, it's ominous.

**Donington Park, England, Sunday 28 th September 2014**

 

“Nagisa-kun, are you ok?”

 

Silence.

 

“Nagisa-kun, come in please.”

 

Rei double-checked that he was correctly pressing the button to talk to his driver.

 

“Nagisa-kun, if you can hear me, please answer.”

 

No answer.

 

_**1:33 PM – Collision with Yamazaki triggered Hazuki accident.** The pictures show the Chrysler closing the door on the Mazda after letting Dexter through. The two touch, sending the blue and white car into a spin and into the wall. Heavy driver-side impact._

 

Rei didn't look at the replay of the incident. He was getting desperate to get a response from Nagisa. “Jeremy, do you see a failure of the radio system somewhere?”

 

“No, seems ok? I'll try again... Nagisa-kun! Can you hear me?”

 

Nothing.

 

Rei was becoming frustrated and flustered. He started rummaging through the papers in front of him. His hands were shaking and he started to feel dizzy. Makoto and Haru were just done running over from the garage when Rei lost it completely.

“NAGISA-KUN!”, he shouted angrily into the radio.

 

Not a sound came back.

 

“Rei?”, called Makoto. The race engineer turned around. His friends gasped as they noticed that he was as white as a sheet with fear.

“He's not responding!”, he said, with a shaky voice. “He's just not responding!”

 

_**1:34 PM – Multiple pit stops.** Race Control tells all drivers to make sure they commit to pit road to avoid the mess we saw earlier. The #22 Mazda is going into the garage to repair the bodywork on the front-right. We are yet to see Nagisa Hazuki out of the car at the Craner Curves._

Rin had left the Samezuka garage with the words “Ai, take my stint”, and ran towards the Iwatobi box. He stopped short of going right up to his friends, but, from a short distance, he could see Haru and Makoto gasping. His sister, Gou, sitting to Rei's right, looked in his direction. She was very nervous. Then, a mechanic from the garage he was standing at, grabbed his arm. “Out of the way, our car's coming in!”, he ordered. Rin hesitantly jogged back to his team, glancing over his shoulder occasionally to see if he could make out anything.

Meanwhile, having strapped Ai into the Mazda, Sosuke stormed over to pit wall to talk to Seijuro. “Hazuki just ran into me”, he repeated, while he removed his helmet.

“I get the picture, Sosuke, the stewards haven't called us yet, so calm down”, urged Seijuro.

“Oh, and where's Rin?”, shouted the discontent driver. “He was supposed to take over, and who do I see when I get back? Not Rin!”

“Yamazaki, I said take it easy, there's more going on right now!”, insisted Seijuro, using Sosuke's family name to sound more formal, just as Rin returned.

“They look pretty freaked out”, he stated.

“Oh, here you are!”, snapped Sosuke. “Where have you been? You were supposed to take over the car.”

“Damn, where have _you_ been to be in a mood like that?” Rin snapped back. “I've just gone over to Iwatobi to check if Nagisa is ok, and it...”

“Gone over to Iwatobi?! What the hell, Rin!?”, Sosuke interrupted. Seijuro sensed the atmosphere was becoming untenable.

“ENOUGH!”, he exploded, jumping down from his chair and standing between the two. “The last thing I need is you two arguing in the pit lane! We have a car to repair, and Hazuki is still stuck in the wreck!”

That last sentence jolted Sosuke.

“Still in... he's not got out?!”, he asked. Rin rolled his eyes as if to say “fancy not knowing that.” Sosuke began to lunge forward at his team-mate, only to be held back by his tactician. While still a muscular young man, he hadn't maintained his form as well as Seijuro, a world-class swimmer, who had little difficulty to hold his driver back with one arm. Suddenly, Seijuro froze as a priority message came on his headset.

“This is Race Control: all teams instruct extra caution in pit lane and on track, we are despatching Extraction and Medical vehicles for car 17 at Craner. Repeat: order extra caution, pit lane is busy, and Medical cars are on track. Race Control out.”

Neither Rin nor Sosuke were sure if it was safe to snap Seijuro out of his pose. Rin tried.

“Er, boss?”, he called. The race engineer turned to him, then to Sosuke.

“Medical car's being used.” Sosuke forgot his anger and backed off. Seijuro loosened his stance and walked over to the garage to inform Ai of what he'd just heard. The repairs were nearly done: no damage was detected on the suspension and front axle, so just a change of bumper had been required.

Sosuke was left looking at Rin, who was staring at him, half-worried, half-appalled.

“I'm sorry for getting mad”, said Sosuke. “I hope Hazuki is ok.”

_**1:36 PM – Status quo for the top three.** Misty has stayed on board the #8 VW and retains the lead. Fantasio is still at the wheel of the #23 Peugeot. However, Mandark has taken over the #3 Maybach in third. Still no good news from the crash site yet._

At Iwatobi, Nagisa's four friends had tightened ranks. They stood huddled together, arms around each other, just as they had done at Le Mans two weeks earlier, although that was in a completely different context. But both times, it was aimed at creating a bubble for them, outside of which their anxiety wouldn't be noticed.

Rei silently thought of different things that could have happened to Nagisa. Was it just that he wasn't thinking to call back? Was he incapacitated in some way that he couldn't operate the radio? Knocked out by the impact?... Or worse?... Gou could tell he was running through some grim possibilities, and tried to derail his train of thought.

“Rei-kun, don't think about it”, she said. “We have to wait and see.”

“I know”, he answered. “It's just that anything could...” Then Rei froze. Some noise had come on the radio. It sounded like a mix between a voice, albeit too deep for Nagisa's, and a groan followed by a cough, that could have been the driver. Rei pounced on the talk button and responded. “Nagisa-kun, is that you?”

But nothing came back.

“You're imagining things, Rei-kun”, said Gou.

“No, I did hear something”, denied Rei. “He's there, he was there just now!” He pressed the button again and called out for Nagisa. Makoto took his arm out from behind Rei's back, and took his junior's hand away from the dashboard. He believed Rei had heard something, but thought that it would better if he didn't hear any more.

“Take the headphones off, Rei. It's not helping.”

With a trembling hand, Nagisa's closest friend dropped his headset around his neck, and placed his right arm back around Gou.

The competitors still running drove by. Behind the Safety Car, the usual, exciting collection of loud, furious roars from the engines was replaced by a more monotonous drone, as if the vehicles' moods were also downbeat in the circumstances. There was no number 17 in the queue, no Nagisa to talk to, no news. Everyone at the Iwatobi Racing Team was just waiting. The tension was growing with every second of silence that passed.

Rei's impatience was palpable. He wanted to run over to the stricken car and help Nagisa in any way he could, just like Nagisa had saved him from the ocean on that stormy night during the training camp, two years earlier.

_**1:38 PM – Dexter (driver, #3 DMLR Maybach):** “it's horrible when you're waiting on a driver who's had a big crash, and of course, we're hoping for the best for the guys at car 17. But also the race goes on, and we're still on the lead lap, so we stay focused.”_

The Samezuka Mazda was back out on track, having lost a lap due to the repairs. Rin had taken a seat beside Seijuro on pit wall and was wearing the second headset. He was still worried about Nagisa.

“Ai, when you pass the crash site, tell me what you see”, Rin asked his team-mate on the radio.

“I'm scared, _senpai_ ”, answered the younger driver. “I'd rather not look.”

He wouldn't get another chance though.

_**1:39 PM – RED FLAG.** The clock is stopped, all cars on track will line up on the grid, and the pit lane is closed. The situation is evidently serious, and everyone's thoughts are with Nagisa Hazuki, his family, friends and team right now._

As soon as the pit lane was closed, an official approached the Iwatobi pit wall. “I'm here on behalf of Race Control, I need to talk to team principal... Rye Roojazaki.” Rei raised his hand, not bothering to correct the blatant pronunciation defects. “I need to talk to you privately, Sir”, added the steward.

“About the collision?”, asked the race engineer.

“About your driver.”

“Nagisa-kun...”, Rei muttered. “I want my drivers and manager with me”, he ordered.

“Very well. Can we use the back room of your garage?” Rei nodded, and the group crossed the pit lane. While walking over, the official radioed the authorities. “Ok, I have the team principal with me. Confirm latest condition please.”

They went through the garage barely looking at the mechanics and engineers. The official asked the crew members behind the rear wall to go into the vehicle bay and await news from the team principal. He then faced the four friends with a grave expression.

“You might want to sit”, said the official, softly.

“Oh my God, no! He's hurt!”, Rei gasped with a trembling voice. A confirmation of his fears was going to be painful.

“Please don't make us wait!”, implored Gou.

“Very well.” The official faced Rei and took a deep breath. “I'm afraid your driver was found unconscious in the car.”

Makoto brought his hand to his mouth in shock. Rei's heart sank, and his eyes watered up instantaneously. In a swift movement, he removed his glasses with one hand and covered his face with the other. Gou crumbled quickly, and grasped Haru's arm as she sought refuge behind his shoulder. Haru's head dipped, fists clenched, eyes shut. Makoto put his arm around Haru.

Sniffling, Rei had only just managed to hold himself back from crying out loud. He stood back, using the wall as his only support, wiped his face and let his arms fall beside his body. He looked at the official, signalling he was ready to hear more.

“He has regained moments of consciousness since, but he's been on and off with shock. The doctors are there, they are doing their best for him...”

“Is he going to...”, interrupted a gulping Makoto, who couldn't bring himself to add either “die” or “survive” to his question.

The thought that Nagisa's life could be in danger took over the four of them. Their blond friend's smiling face from two weeks earlier flashed into each one's mind. No, not him! Not the one who was the most thrilled at being part of this adventure! Haru's eyes were still shut tight as if he was hoping to wake up from this nightmare.

“We don't know for sure yet how serious his condition is. I'm here to tell you what Race Control knows and to protect you from rumours or speculations that... One moment.”

The official's walkie-talkie had beeped. He walked away to converse with the race director. Meanwhile, Gou continued to bawl on Haru's shoulder, soaking the back of his overalls. Makoto moved round to comfort her, while Haru opened his moist eyes to see Rei staggering and banging on the wall behind him.

“Must stay strong...”, he was thinking. “For the team... for Nagisa-kun... I can't crack...”

“Rei”, called Haru, who had come closer while Makoto and Gou hugged each other longly. Haru reached out. Before his hand could reach Rei's shoulder, his blue-haired friend had lunged towards him and grabbed him with both arms. Yelling “NAGISA-KUN!” repeatedly, Rei broke down loudly. Now it was the front of Haru's overalls that was getting drenched.

The official returned to the scene a minute later. Haru saw him, and nudged Rei back up.

“I have an update”, said the steward. Gou stopped crying, and the four paid full attention.

“Hazuki has been extracted from the car and has regained full consciousness. He is communicating normally. The doctors don't think he's in immediate danger.” Those words brought welcome relief to the distraught band of friends. But the official didn't have only good news. “He is reporting severe pain in his left arm though, and trauma to the head is not to be excluded even if he seems to be communicating well.” The steward's walkie-talkie beeped again. He didn't walk away this time, and answered directly. “Yes?... Right... I'm sure they'll want to... Four of them: team principal, two drivers, manager... 10 minutes... Very good, cheers.” After putting his radio away again, the official continued.

“He's going to be transferred to QMC in Nottingham. The organisers will arrange a transport for you four to go there undisturbed, and will notify next-of-kin.” He turned specifically to Rei. “I'll file the retirement for you, but it's your responsibility to close the garage. Be discreet: no public declaration. To your team, you can say that Hazuki is conscious and going to Nottingham. I'll be back to take you to your car in 10-15 minutes.” Rei registered all this, but the pain was still clear on his face. The steward gave him a pat on the shoulder and some words of reassurance before leaving.

“Chin up, mate. It sounds like he's going to make it.”

_**1:45 PM – Hazuki to be airlifted to Nottingham.** The Medical Car has left the crash site, now the wreckage will be cleared, and we'll probably go racing again shortly after that. 3 hours, 21 minutes and 36 seconds remain to run in the 2014 AERS Donington 6 Hours._

While Rei and Gou called a few engineers to discuss the procedure of ending the team's race, Makoto and Haru ran to the motorhome to quickly change out of their race suits. They also thought to pick up some of Nagisa's belongings for him. After a short debate, they decided to take only a change of clothes: there was no point of giving him his mobile until they were sure he could use it, and they weren't sure whether the book on the nightstand between the beds was his or Rei's.

When they came back to the back of the garage, a silver estate car with Rei and Gou onboard was waiting for them. They got in, and the car was off. At the exact same moment, the rumble of racecar engines rose from the other side of the pit building.

_**1:59 PM – SAFETY CAR LAP.** Just as the cars get going again, Race Control issues a statement saying that Nagisa Hazuki is conscious and not in a life-threatening condition. Even so, it's a difficult task for Misty (#8 VW) to head the field through the Craner Curves. After this Safety Car lap, we will go green, and the race will finish at 5:20 PM precisely._

It usually took half an hour to get from the circuit to Nottingham, and in the wet, the driver of the estate was taking it easy. Gou asked if he could speed up, but Rei answered that the four of them would probably wait at the hospital anyway, so it was better to stay safe. Most of the journey was spent in silence. In the back, a very anxious Gou cuddled up with Makoto, while Haru vacantly stared out of the window. In the front passenger seat, Rei figured that recalling some of the radio messages he received from Nagisa before the incident might help him understand it, but he felt uneasy whenever he thought of his friend's lively voice. In contrast, he then remembered Sosuke's harsh words after the go-kart race a few days earlier. “You were swerving like a lunatic out there!”, he could hear while reviewing scenes of the battle. Could the crash have been the result of Sosuke getting annoyed with Nagisa again?

As often, though, Rei's train of thought was interrupted. His phone beeped as he received a text from his parents. He read it, and turned to the back of the car.

“Makoto, your parents are trying to get through to you”, he said.

“Yeah, I left my phone in the motorhome”, replied the brown-haired driver. “Too busy thinking about what we should take for Nagisa, I guess.”

“I'll tell them”, continued Rei. “I'll also say we don't know what's happened to Nagisa.”

“What a horrible feeling it must be for his parents”, thought Makoto, which led him to whisper in Haru's ear, “we should have taken his phone.”

“Mmuh?”, grumbled Haru, as if he had been woken up.

“Just saying, I still think we should have taken his phone with us”, repeated Makoto gently. “That way, he would talk to his parents as soon as he could.”

“I told you, it's not necessary”, said Haru. “I'm sure he'll be given a way to contact them.”

“Ok, ok”, responded Makoto, accepting not to go into that debate again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated the tags before posting, but decided against a more blatant "trigger" warning - this is motor racing, and the potential for injury was mentioned in the foreword.  
> As mentioned, it's a horrible feeling to be waiting on news from a crashed driver, I've been through it a few times as a viewer, and even as a live spectator, so that's what I wanted to convey here.


	22. Disconsolate

_3:50 PM, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham_

After an hour and a half of sitting nervously in the waiting area of the Accident & Emergency department of the hospital, a doctor finally came forward and asked to speak with “Rei Riggizaki”. The middle-aged man of Indian descent shook hands with the team principal and asked him to follow him to his office. Rei asked to be accompanied once more, but the doctor refused. Makoto, Haru and Gou would just have to be patient. Gou clung to each of her drivers alternately during the course of the next ten to fifteen minutes, at the end of which Rei returned. His three friends stood and came up to him. There was no look of despair on his face, but he definitely wasn't happy.

“Nagisa-kun has a broken arm”, he announced. Gou yelped and grabbed Haru's arm, while Rei adjusted his glasses and continued. “And a slight concussion. He was knocked out in the crash... But that is all, nothing that won't heal within a couple of months.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “He's going to be ok. But this has been a very scary experience for all of us. Is it worth going on...?”

Makoto interrupted Rei by patting him on the shoulder. “Shh. No decisions now. Let's just be thankful that Nagisa isn't in danger anymore.” Rei looked straight at Makoto. He was sporting his classic, soft, reassuring light smile. It managed to put a brief smile on Rei's face, which, in turn, soothed Haru and Gou's worries. Relieved, the four hugged each other in silence while waiting for the chance to finally see Nagisa again.

 

Shortly after, they were walking towards Nagisa's ward. As his case wasn't preoccupying, he had been moved out of A&E, and had a calm room to himself. The doctor who was leading the four to their friend gave them a few words of advice on the way.

“We've given him some rather strong painkillers. While his body gets used to them, he will be very dopey. So take it easy on him, no rough hugs for example. Now, erm... Hazuki, ward 205, that's here. Wait just a moment while I quickly check that he's fit to see you.”

The doctor was in the room for less than a minute. He came out, told them not to expect a fanfare reunion, then opened the door wide to let Rei, Haru, Gou and Makoto enter.

Nagisa was sitting back in bed, with his left arm bandaged and looking rather dull. He was barely awake. Nonetheless, Rei was overjoyed to see him again. He hastily walked to the bedside and grabbed Nagisa's right hand, refraining from anything more as he remembered he mustn't startle his friend.

“Nagisa-kun...”, he called. “Oh my, it's so good to see you again! We were so scared!”

Nagisa turned his head slowly, and just managed to open his eyes as he fought the drowsiness induced by the drugs he was on.

“Rei-chan...”, he groaned. His voice was uncharacteristically weak, and it took Makoto aback. “I messed up”, Nagisa continued, “I bet Sosuke-kun's pissed off at me again.”

“Don't blame yourself, Nagisa”, said Haru, firmly. “No-one's blaming you.”

“Haru-chan?”, called Nagisa, trying to sit up higher. Rei helped him while Gou raised a pillow behind his back.

“We're all here”, said Makoto. “The most important thing to us is that you're safe.”

“Yeah...”, moaned Nagisa. “So who won?” Rei looked at his watch.

“Well, it's 4:30, so there's still half an hour to go”, he answered.

“You didn't stay to the finish?”, asked Nagisa. The others didn't bother to answer. How could they have even thought about staying at the circuit? They needed to be with him.

But Rei had an idea. As Nagisa was intent on knowing how the race was going, he tuned his phone onto the AERS's webradio. The Safety Car was out again for a collision at the Old Hairpin. It led to a gloves-off final 40 minutes in which Spirou took the lead and resisted the #1 Veritas until it ran wide at Coppice, leaving him to claim another win. “He's amazing, huh, Haru-chan?”, Nagisa winked. Although diminished, he still didn't miss a beat.

The radio then broadcasted the podium interviews, in which every driver had a kind word for Nagisa and his team. The five huddled together and smiled as they heard the messages of sympathy and support.

At that moment, the doctor entered to signal that the hospital was closing to visitors. After a brief, one-armed hug with each of his friends, Nagisa laid back down and immediately fell asleep, appeased by the comfort he had just shared with them.

***

**DONINGTON 6 HOURS RACE - FINAL CLASSIFICATION  
**

Started: 34 (23 X1, 11 X2) / Classified: 22 (15 X1, 7 X2)

1\. Journal Spirou Peugeot Sport - #23 Peugeot Onyx - Spirou/Fantasio/Zorglub - 211 LAPS

2\. VAG Kanto 8 - #8 Volkswagen Nardo - A.Ketchum/Misty/Brock - +0'03"170

3\. DMLR - #3 Maybach Exelero - Dexter/Mandark/Dee Dee - +0'07"209

...

14\. (1st X2) Team Rocket Alfa Corse - #80 Alfa Romeo TZ3 - Jessie/James/Giovanni - 203 LAPS

15\. (2nd X2) MGM Kia Motorsport - #52 Kia GT4 Stinger - Droopy/Dripple/McWolf - +0'54"638

16\. (3rd X2) Team Flintstone - #64 Volvo Concept Coupe - F.Flintstone/B.Rubble/W.Flintstone - +1'13"114

...

RET. Samezuka Academy Mazdaspeed - #22 Mazda Furai - R.Matsuoka/S.Yamazaki/A.Nitori - 131 LAPS

RET. Iwatobi Racing Team - #17 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve - H.Nanase/M.Tachibana/N.Hazuki - 89 LAPS

***

**COMMENTATOR'S COMMENT, DONINGTON PARK RACE REVIEW: HAZUKI HORROR CRASH ECLIPSES FOUR-WAY FIGHT FOR WIN  
**

_The 6 Hours of Donington had the ingredients of a classic, with the TLM champions Journal Spirou Peugeot taking a second consecutive victory, defeating their usual rivals VW Kanto as well as DMLR Maybach and Peter Perfect Racing in a tense battle in the wet of England. But it was difficult to fully enjoy it while one of the sport's brightest and most enthusiastic young rookies, who had appeared jubilant on the podium at Le Mans just two weeks earlier, lay in hospital after a high-speed crash at the daunting Craner Curves._

When the number 20 Shelby slid off the road for the third time of the day, this time collecting the number 25 Saleen and ending what had been a solid counter-punch race for the Weasel team after an awful Le Mans, we knew we were in for a treat as Volkswagen, Peugeot and Maybach looked poised to fight each other directly for the win once the Safety Car pulled in. Then enter Peter Perfect in the spectacular Veritas roadster which had clearly been in its element all afternoon in the mostly drizzly conditions: Perfect quickly took third place, and Spirou, feeling the pressure from the American, responded by making a lunge for the lead. The silver roadster followed him past the VW though, and the Belgian's dexterity in the wet wasn't enough to shake the 2013 TLM winner. It took a mistake from Peter Perfect, who ran wide a Coppice three laps from home, for Spirou's victory to be made safe, and Peugeot end their season with an enviable track record: three wins and one extra podium finish from five starts!

**Nagisa Hazuki, the main victim of an agitated afternoon**

After such a superb battle though, the celebrations were muted. At the beginning of the press conference, official confirmation came through that Nagisa Hazuki was injured in the nasty shunt he'd suffered two and a half hours into the race. A fracture to the left forearm certainly rules him out of his home race in two months' time, but the whole paddock hopes the Iwatobi Racing Team will find a way to be on the grid at Suzuka.

Hazuki's crash was obviously the nastiest, but it was far from the only bad incident to occur on the damp Donington round. Not even one hour in, the TB1 Ford took the Maserati for a ride through the kitty litter, sidelining two podium contenders. Moments later, there was chaos at pit entry. Add to that offs by the dozen, and collisions affected every level of the field. The least we can say is that the first wet race with the Experimentals was not a stroll in the park.

***

_Next morning._

Nagisa stood at the window, more awake than the previous day. As Makoto and Haru had left his phone at the track, Rei gave Nagisa his. Having sent a few messages to friends and family in Japan, he caught up with the race results on the series website, read the “Commentator's Comment” and other blog posts and driver columns. The only thing as unanimous as the support for him was the notion that he would miss the next event, which struck him as pessimistic. Did he really have no chance? He suddenly felt very uneasy.

The doctor knocked on the door. “Yes”, spoke Nagisa, with a more powerful voice than the evening before.

“Good morning, Mr Hazuki, good to see you up and about.” Nagisa turned round and dragged his feet back towards the bed. “Ah yes, you do look much more 'with it' than yesterday”, continued the doctor. “Tell me, has the nurse been round to top you up on the painkillers?”

Nagisa put the phone down and ran his right hand through his hair in slight embarrassment. “Er, I don't remember.”

“That's ok, I'll check with her next.” The doctor then went through the next steps of Nagisa's treatment. “This afternoon, we will get your arm a proper plaster, and with that, you should be ok to leave tomorrow, if you don't mind us keeping you for one more night of observation?”

“Er, yeah, whatever's best...”, was the answer.

“How are things otherwise? No problems sleeping? Bad dreams?”

“No bad dreams, no... Not yet.” Nagisa's mood was noticeably dire. It wasn't alarming to the doctor, given what his patient had been through, but he knew it was better to ask what was worrying him.

“Tell me...”, Nagisa began, nervously, “when... when will I be able to race again?”

The doctor answered a little uncomfortably, but honestly. “Well, healing times vary, so the plaster can be removed at best in five or six weeks; you might have to keep it for eight or nine though. But even if it comes off sooner, I will recommend against resuming your racing activity for the rest of the year.”

“So, I can't race in November”, stated the driver.

“Oh no, certainly not. Even if you've healed, it'll be too much of a strain. Your arm will be weak after being idle for so long. It only takes a few weeks to re-adapt. But no, you won't be ready for November. I'm sorry, you will have to wait.”

Nagisa took a deep breath, and pressed the screen of the phone to look at the time. 9:15. Visits were allowed from 10 AM, and no doubt Rei-chan, Gou-chan, Mako-chan and Haru-chan would turn up as early as possible to check on him.

“Thank you, Doctor”, said Nagisa. “If I have to take some medicine, can we schedule it for 9:50? I need some time alone.”

No sooner had the door closed, than Nagisa broke down. This was how he would end his season: with one arm tied to his stomach. Worse, what if this bad experience made his friends give up? Then not only would he not get back into a racing car again this year, but ever again. Back in middle school, he had been deprived of swimming. Now, a new activity he had taken up and was enjoying was in jeopardy. The feeling was all too familiar.

He had to cover this up if he wanted to race again. He had to be strong in front of Rei and Makoto, the founders of the squad, as if they'd be encouraged to close down if they saw him as distressed as he was, so he kneeled and wailed louder. He had to get it all out before they arrived. The mental pain was genuine, but forcing himself to cry harder was also making his whole body ache. Not to mention an occasional, unpredictable, vicious throb travelling through his left arm. Yesterday's painkillers had worn off.


	23. The rise of Rei

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The really hard angsty bit is over (the impact of the accident will linger though, and other character building moments are to come), and there'll be more fun in the next chapters. For example, this part was fun to write.
> 
> Corner names for a new track again, but it isn't crucial to situate them, as there's no racing action going on.

**Brands Hatch Circuit, England, Friday 3 rd October 2014**

After sunset, the garage in which a blue and white car sat was silent, and lit only by a couple of lamps that seemed to have been negligently left on. The chassis had originally belonged to the works Chrysler team, who travelled with this spare car for both teams that used the ME Four-Twelve. This was also the car that three boys in their late teens, from a small port town in Japan, had got their first taste of driving in anger.

Having taken the car out first, Nagisa later stood on pit wall, filming Makoto and Haru driving by with his mobile phone. “And here comes Mako-chan, on his first flying lap!”, his chirpy young voice could be heard saying, before the roar of this V12-powered beast drowned any conversation someone may be having. “So Mako-chan, what's your take on that stint?”, was the question that started the next clip. Acting like a roving pit interviewer, Nagisa hounded Makoto with questions although he had only just removed his helmet and gloves. “Are you going to do that all day?”, asked Haru, a little annoyed, when he, too, was approached after finishing his run.

The memories of that day would normally bring a smile to Rei's face, as he sat in the contraption the manufacturer had handed to his team in replacement for the car his drivers had affectionately dubbed 'Speedbird'.

Nicknaming a chassis. Playing about around the car. To Rei, it all reeked of naivety and innocence. And, like 'Speedbird', that innocence was gone, taken away by an awful impact with the tyre wall at Donington that had hurt his dearest friend. After lengthy discussions, and facing particular insistence from Nagisa, he had agreed to at least try to drive during the next day's test, but now he wondered what he had got himself into. On top of the pain he felt for Nagisa, he struggled to understand how to drive the thing. He didn't want to disappoint anyone, but he really felt that he had a mountain to climb. He sucked at go-karting, and the X1 racer would be a much harder machine to tame.

 

A ringtone broke the silence of the garage. The car's door opened as Rei needed extra room to rummage through his trouser pocket. “I know who this is...”, he grumbled. The three aforementioned friends had gone to dinner, and he expected the text to be from one of them, probably Nagisa, complaining that he hadn't joined them as he said he would. But he guessed wrong: it was Rin. The text read: “very brave decision to maintain your test tomorrow. I really hope you guys can make it on the grid in Japan, it wouldn't be the same without you.”

Rei smiled and closed his eyes, letting the hand holding his phone drop onto his leg. He and Rin held each other in high esteem, and the accident hadn't changed that. He opened his eyes again as a noise from the back door caught his attention. He turned his head to look out behind the car, and he saw Haru enter.

“Please don't tell me you've been in there for an hour”, he said.

“Why not?”, answered Rei. “No-one ever complains when you spend ages in the bath.”

“That's because I do that when I have nothing better to do”, Haru responded to the accusation, as he kneeled next to the car to look at Rei while they talked. “Can't the thinking wait until tomorrow morning?... Whatever it is you're thinking about.”

“I've been stumped for this long, so I guess not”, said Rei, downbeat. “I mean, all these controls, buttons, levers...”, he continued, looking all over the dashboard of the racecar. “I know what they do. But in context, how do you use them?”

“I don't”, was Haru's sharp answer.

“Come again?”, said Rei, confused. Haru repeated slowly: “I don't use them.” Rei brought his hands to his face in disbelief.

“But that's not logical!”, he exclaimed. “I mean, these buttons are there! They're there for a reason, and that's to be used!” Haru paused, before deciding that the best possible answer was the same, plain “I don't use them”. Rei looked back at the switch panel right of the steering wheel and pointed a few out to Haru to ask for confirmation that he'd never used them. That one? No. This one? No. The horn? Never.

“Damn, what DO you use in here?”, Rei snapped. Slowly and somewhat mockingly, Haru went through the controls he had touched before.

“Well, I turn the steering wheel, obviously. And I use the gearshift paddles on the back of the wheel, and on it, here's the pit lane limiter button. Let me see... The lights... I've used the wiper here... Ugh, and this one. If I had my way, I'd never touch it.”

“Haru, that's the radio”, Rei said, discontently.

“Yeah, that's the one”, Haru answered, before concluding, pointing at Rei's feet, “oh, and I use the pedals down there, of course. My favourite's the right one.”

At that moment, the clang from the back of the garage sounded again. In came Nagisa, with his left arm bandaged and immobilised, followed by Makoto.

“Haru-chan, you were supposed to pull him out of there, not join in with... whatever he's doing”, shouted Nagisa. Rei looked back out towards where the two new arrivals were standing, and asked “is it true that you guys use none of the switches in here?”

“Nah”, spluttered Nagisa, “and to be honest, I've already forgotten what half of them do.” Rei despaired a little at Nagisa's carelessness, but excused him, as he wouldn't be driving the next day. After a pause, he looked at Makoto.

“Well, I have used some of the knobs in the middle there”, answered the tall driver, “like the ones to regulate RPMs and fuel flow. It's handy when you want to do long runs. Speaking of long runs, you haven't eaten at all since breakfast, Rei. You won't rest well tonight with an empty stomach.” Rei nodded and moved to get out of the car. Haru got up and out of his junior's way, while Makoto came round to close the door once both were clear. Pushing the door shut, Makoto spotted something on roof just above the window.

“Rei?”, he called, stopping his race engineer in his tracks. “Did you do this to the car?”

Makoto was pointing at a decal where the drivers' names were. It read 'NAGISA'. Rei was embarrassed. “I thought you wouldn't notice”, he said, shyly and starting to blush.

“Are you kidding?”, replied Makoto. “You're the one who pointed this out earlier.” Rei's name had been placed in front of Haru's and Makoto's, which appeared in the exact same spot as on the previous car. Rei had observed that the space where Nagisa's name would have been had been left blank. Since then, someone added the fourth name.

“I found a couple of left-over decals”, admitted Rei. Nagisa became emotional, and he asked “why put my name on the car, Rei-chan? I'm not driving”. Rei was shaky. He was anxious that he had upset his weakened friend by rubbing his disability in, although, of course, he had only meant well. He thought about leaping forward and trying to get the stickers off and erase his possible mistake, but he decided to try to justify himself first.

“Because”, he said slowly, facing ashamedly down, “because, Nagisa-kun... You're still with us...” Ugh, that came out wrong. “I mean, you're still part of the team”, he corrected. He recalled what Haru had once told him, and he added “the four of us... are a team.” Nagisa sniffled, and lunged towards Rei for a one-armed hug.

“And here comes another bawl-fest”, mumbled Haru, looking away from the others. Nagisa had often been heard crying over the week, and he had explained away his fits rather poorly by citing the pain, thinking about things he just couldn't do with only one good arm, or homesickness (something his parents' presence from Wednesday to Friday alleviated a bit). Everyone had tried to get to the bottom of what Nagisa was feeling, but every time he held fast. As irritating as that was, Makoto's touched smile turned into a cringing, disapproving smirk when he overheard Haru's remark. Makoto had spent nearly two months non-stop with Haru, and he was getting tired that, before a run, Haru would do something like this. He'd be cold, insensitive, grouchy or outright aggressive like the night before the TLM start. It was a sight he hadn't seen before the first test at Le Mans, and he was at a loss to explain it. Was it because a day in the car was a day away from the pool? It couldn't be that simple, but, then again, this _was_ Haru.

***

 

**Brands Hatch Circuit, England, Saturday 4 th October 2014: Private test day  
**

Gou had the boys up very early that morning, to brief them on the day's very busy programme. They had to discuss set-up with the engineers first. The oil supplier wanted the cars ready for the promotional shoot at 9:30. This part wouldn't take long, but there would be no time to waste in the garage after that; the track was theirs only for two three-hour sessions, with a one-hour lunch break at 1 PM. Rei needed driving time, and lots of it. Lots of coaching too, and Makoto would try his best to give the beginner his advice. For what it was worth, it would likely be more constructive than Haru's tutoring. “It's going to be like learning to swim all over again!”, joked Nagisa. Like before the TLM start, Rei wasn't in the mood for that sort of remark. He was very, very anxious.

“You should be fine, Rei”, reassured Makoto. “This sort of driving is very scientific. As long as you take into account how the car reacts to your input, you'll get the hang of it. I think you won't need me much.” At least, that's what he hoped. Makoto intended to train to strengthen his pace. As he had become the second-best driver on the squad, he knew he'd need to up his game if the Iwatobi Racing Team was to stand a chance of performing well in Japan, even though, at that point, no-one knew if they were actually going to enter.

In spite of his condition, Nagisa wouldn't be idle. With Rei on track, the pit wall needed a new leader. Nagisa would have to get to grips with a more theoretical aspect, reading telemetry and keeping track of fuel consumption... all the stuff he had overlooked because, thus far, Rei had been thinking about it for him. He would have the team's chief mechanic with him, as well as Gou. The manager was capable of monitoring her drivers, but was much less accustomed to making strategic or technical calls. This showed when she gave out Haru's assignment for the day.

“The manufacturer says we're running a new Gurney flap today”, she said. “Personally, I can't spot the difference with the old bumper...”

“That's because it's not on the bumper”, interrupted Rei, adjusting his glasses. This was his territory, and he was more than happy to explain it. “It's the trailing edge of the rear wing. It's not very different to the old one, but it's a part that's been prepared in case we lose some endplate depth on the next BoP adjustment. We're also running with some extra ballast based on the hypothesis that we'll be pegged back based on the Le Mans result. Our performances have not gone unnoticed!” Rei went into his characteristic fit of manic laughter.

“So... If I understood that correctly, he's proud that we're going to be made to go slower?”, asked Nagisa.

“He's just letting off steam”, smiled Makoto.

“Anyway, Haru”, continued Gou, “new piece of bodywork. Apparently. Tell us what you think.”

 

_9:25 AM, in between the Iwatobi and Team7 garages._

“Am I going to have to act?”, asked Haru, having only just shaken the hand of the oil company's PR representative. “Straight up?! Just like that?!”, thought Makoto. Haru's attitude was really trying his patience. So he was perhaps more relieved than Haru himself when the clip director said that they would only be taking pictures of Iwatobi's car on track, with other footage coming from the TLM broadcast. The more recognisable and popular drivers from Team7 would, however, be asked to stage a celebration as their car returned to the pits. The oil company was happy to have finished the 24-hour race with all three of its partner cars in good positions (2nd, 5th and 7th places), so the promotional video would be emphasising that achievement.

As Rei was completely inexperienced and Haru not interested in driving for show, Makoto was the default choice to drive the Chrysler during the shoot. He would be accompanied by Naruto Uzumaki in the McLaren, which made Nagisa envious. After the script was explained to the two drivers, the cars were rolled out and started.

The pair did a few laps at very moderate pace, interacting with the camera car as directed. Then the McLaren pit crew ran out to the wall to greet their car as they would if they had scored a podium. Once back in the garages, the drivers at Team7 exchanged a few accolades in the same spirit.

“Pretending... I could never do that”, moaned Haru, dejectedly.

“Pfft, you don't even do that in real life”, scoffed Nagisa.

“Yes I do. Remember the Nationals?”, Haru answered back.

“Hmm, vaguely... I'm not sure what it was, that sight I saw”, teased Nagisa, who was mostly trying to crack a smile out of his gloomy, dark-haired friend. “Show me again?”

After a brief moment of silence, Haru responded by grabbing Nagisa by surprise and tickling his right flank. “Do you also remember this?”, smiled Haru, referring to the time his team-mates had ganged up on him just to hear the sound of his laughter.

“Haha! Careful, Haru-chan, mind my arm!”, Nagisa chuckled.

“Well, it's nice to see Haru's in a better mood”, observed Makoto as he returned to pit wall. Rei asked where Makoto thought the trickiest bits on the course were.

“I don't think there is a single easy corner on this track!”, Makoto replied. “It's a thrilling circuit, but there are so many blind apexes: the first corner, Hawthorn's, Dingle Dell...”

“Wow, Makoto, it's amazing how you can pick all that up while concentrating on the filming!”, said Gou. Makoto was flattered and bashfully ran one hand through his hair. Haru had paid no attention and had continued attacking Nagisa.

10 o'clock was approaching, so Gou told the two gigglers to “knock it off”, before going through the day plan she and Nagisa had drawn up.

 

Morning session

10:00 MAKOTO – low power setting, tyre set 1 (medium)

10:30 HARUKA – Makoto/Rei brief

11:00 REI – tyre set 2 (hard)

11:40 HARUKA - normal power setting

12:20 MAKOTO

Between sessions

13:00 PIT STOP PRACTICE: tyres, driver changes with Rei

13:20 LUNCH, ~~admire Mako-chan doing his push-ups~~ <\- I'll make YOU do push-ups for this, Nagisa!

Afternoon session

14:00 REI - tyre set 3 (medium)

14:40 HARUKA - quali sim, tyre set 4 (soft)

15:10 MAKOTO - long stint sim, tyre set 3

16:10 REI - tyre set 1

16:50 HARUKA - final pit practice, tyre set 4

 

Makoto therefore immediately got back in the car to do his first laps at speed. He thought to wait in the pits to let the McLaren through, but Gou instructed him to move. Everyone needed to maximise their time in the car, and Sakura Haruno, who was first to take the orange and black machine out, didn't get going for another minute. She quickly caught up though, as Team7 had tested here earlier in the season and knew the track well.

Sakura's run was even shorter than Makoto's, and barely a quarter of an hour after she'd left the pits, she was back and handing over to Naruto. Rei observed that the car was refuelled very lightly, and he presumed that their 'opponents' of the day were doing qualifying practice.

Makoto was called in at 10:30 precisely, with Haru ready to take over. While the team's fastest driver discovered the circuit, Rei got suited up. Like the others had during their first test, his overalls were plain white, and slightly oversized. His helmet was plain navy blue, with only a white band along the top for the sponsors, and a few extra stickers. He would get nothing fancy until he confirmed that he would race in Japan.

While waiting for his turn at the wheel, Rei discussed the circuit with Makoto on pit wall, who mostly told him about reference points for braking.

“The 150m sign? But this car can slow down in a shorter distance than that”, Rei would say about the first turn.

“I know”, answered Makoto, “and I'm already braking after the 100m board, but to begin with, you have to play it very safe, especially in a blind, fast corner like the first turn. It's no good me telling you that you can take the corner high in 3rd gear if you haven't felt for yourself that it can be done. So, to start with, brake earlier...” He paused while the McLaren roared by with a loud, deep growl, then continued: “so brake early and more than necessary, and then you work out how you can go faster based on what you think the car's capable of.” The advice was both very clear and very abstract to Rei. It didn't contradict what he had read in the days before, but he thought he could more immediately combine the theories with what he knew about the car.

“If you try too hard, too soon, the car won't forgive you”, added Makoto. “You'll go around at the first corner.” Those words echoed in Rei's mind. When he first took the wheel of a go-kart, around a month earlier in France, the first thing he did was spin under braking. It had put him on the back foot ever since.

 

When the clock struck 11, Haru's time was up. He and Rei took plenty of time to make their exchange, so that Rei would see in detail what had to be done, while the mechanics refuelled the car generously. Then they swapped the one-hour old tyres with brand new ones, the most durable, hardest compound. Nagisa watched nervously on. He was unsure whether he wanted see how his best friend would manage, fearing that he could make a considerable, complicated mess of it. “So this was what Rei was feeling before my start”, he thought to himself. He sighed as the door on the car closed.

With the car and driver ready to go, the jacks came down and Rei was able to start the car and get going. Haru had just run over to pit wall, and was removing his helmet when he was startled by the noisy getaway the new driver made. As a roaring engine and squealing tyres sang a rather unharmonious chorus, Haru made a quick comment. “That's waaaay to much revs.”

“Even by my standards, that's too much wheelspin”, Nagisa concurred. Gou, meanwhile, was outraged.

“DAMN IT, REI-KUN, USE THE LIMITER!”, she shouted on the radio, as the car sped out of pit lane and headed towards Paddock Hill Bend. Makoto had the second headset, and gave Rei another reminder.

“Remember to brake very early, you are on cold tyres.”

A few moments later, Rei called back. “I haven't spun in the first three turns!”, he yelled triumphantly.

“That's good, Rei”, answered Makoto. “Remember the reference point for Hawthorn's.”

As everyone expected, Rei was appallingly slow for the first dozen minutes. But hadn't the other three also needed some time to get going when they first made contact with this machine in America? It wasn't until their third run that they had got into a decent rhythm. Makoto and Gou were patient and didn't look into the times. The most important was that Rei wasn't making mistakes, he even dealt with being lapped by the McLaren very well, and was progressively accelerating harder out of corners, and braking later into them.

Rei was due to have forty-minute stints, so at 11:40, he came in, using the speed limiter correctly this time, and got out for Haru. He then discussed how he felt with Makoto.

“I enjoyed that!”, he beamed. Nagisa was heartwarmed by the cheerful sound of Rei's voice. “It's like you said, Makoto”, the blue-haired man continued while removing his helmet. “Ow, crap, I forgot to take the glasses off first...” Makoto helped him with his glasses, then, with the helmet and balaclava finally off, Rei continued.

“Yes so, it's like you said, the car is very precise, it does what exactly you tell it to! I can also feel that it can go much faster than what I've been doing...”

Makoto was glad that Rei had managed his first run well, and was eager to get back in. He did warn that the engine was now set to full power, so, for his second run after lunch, he would have to re-learn a number of things regarding handling out of corners, for example. Meanwhile, out on track, Haru was starting to speed up.


	24. My base: your pace

_1:15 PM_

In between sessions, Nagisa seized his chance to get a longer chat with his racing hero, Naruto Uzumaki. He didn't want to pester Naruto with too many questions, but he still asked quite a few about how the McLaren X-1 compared with the Ferrari 458 he had won the GTE class at the TLM with the previous year.

“Faster, more precise... But they're not comparable really, it's not the same rules. We know there's more in the Macca, the BoP's not been good to us so far, but Kakashi's been working to change that.”

Racing talk quickly became a bit awkward though, as neither wanted to give too much away on how they were operating. So, as Naruto sat on the pit wall ledge and opened his bento, the subject changed to something they could both relate to.

“Tadaa!”, chanted Nagisa, showing off a long bread roll with a round roll decorated to resemble a bird's head mounted on top.

“What is that?”, Naruto asked.

“Something my parents brought over”, Nagisa answered. His parents had come over to support him in the immediate aftermath of his crash, and they carried with them a treat they knew would cheer their son up. “Iwatobi's own cream bread: it has strawberry jam, marmelade and even chocolate! All for 480 yen, so cheap! Even if it's my last one, I'll give you a piece if you want!”

“I'll make do, thanks”, Naruto declined, digging in to his bento. “Mmm, nothing beats ramen, _'ttebayo_!”

“Yeah, I like ramen too”, Nagisa answered, between a nibble of his bread roll and a lick of its content that was oozing out. “But I'm a real sucker for the sweet stuff.” He let out a loud hum, before looking at his meal with extremely wide eyes. He wanted to make this last cream bread last, but the taste got the better of him, and he took a large bite into the tail.

“It's not the best diet for an athlete”, Naruto said.

“Dojen't matcher right now”, Nagisa chewed. He swallowed before continuing: “I'm not driving again for a while.”

“Yeah, I'd understand if you didn't want to risk yourself again”, Naruto misinterpreted, as Nagisa meant that, as he wasn't racing in Suzuka, he'd have plenty of time to get back into shape. But he hadn't paid attention to Naruto's answer. He was still fixated on the cream bread, and contemplated biting the cream-filled head off to save a jam and chocolate piece for last.

 

_4:15 PM._

As the final hour of testing for the day was started, both teams could be satisfied that no problems had got in their way. The McLaren and the Chrysler had made the most of the track time available. While Rei was in the car for his final stint, Makoto's day's work was done, and he could relax. On his last run, he had tried to improve his pace. Gou had the timing sheet printed out, and handed it to him.

“It's pretty good, compared to before lunch”, he commented. “Can I see Haru's, please?” Gou found the data from Haru's run just before his, and gave him his three best lap times. Makoto became unhappy. The difference between him and his best friend was still massive. It had been roughly two seconds at Le Mans, and Brands was a much shorter track. He had hoped that the gap would have at least been in proportion with that.

“Two seconds again...”, he gasped.

“We can't all be as fast as Haru-chan!”, said Nagisa.

“Still, the gap is...”, Makoto began to reply, but he stopped himself from saying more. He was genuinely uncomfortable with Haru being so far ahead of him. Makoto had been the one who'd had the idea of doing this, yet he was noticeably beaten by someone who expressed no enthusiasm for racing. The contrast between Haru's attitude outside the car and inside it was something he just didn't comprehend. And he didn't want to talk about it. For a start, Haru could return to pit wall at any moment, but he also didn't want to worry the others, or to risk saying something clumsy.

Gou reminded him that Haru's best times were set during a qualifying simulation with soft tyres, which would be considerably faster than race pace on medium tyres. After looking swiftly around to check that Haru wasn't approaching, Makoto asked for Haru's late morning times on the hards. It was still to the advantage of the dark-haired driver, by the best part of a second.

“I shouldn't be this far back”, Makoto lamented. His frustration was starting to boil over. “It's the same car, and the gap is still this big! It's not like I'm slower because backstroke is slower than freestyle, it's more like the opposite! He's quicker even on the slower compound!” It didn't help that Nagisa and Gou weren't exactly commiserating.

“You were also slower at freestyle”, quipped Nagisa. Gou brought her hand to her chin in thought.

“Maybe it's a streamlining thing, Rei-kun would know”, she said. “Maybe those super muscles of yours aren't an advantage after all...” Rei was hearing Gou's musings over the radio, and wasn't impressed.

“Please Gou, if you're going to discuss muscles, at least close the mic”, he moaned.

“I'm discussing physics, Rei-kun”, she answered. “Would you say that a _very_ muscular stature was a problem compared to a body like Haru's?”

“What?!”, yelled Rei. He didn't have the swimming context, so the question seemed totally absurd. So much so, that he messed up his braking for Stirlings Bend, locking up and nearly spinning. “I nearly lost it under braking there, Gou”, he reported. “Whatever that was about muscles will definitely have to wait.”

Makoto walked off to have a shower and a quick rest in the motorhome, to digest his disappointment before the post-test tasks. As he wandered through the garage looking down at the timing sheets, a familiar voice sounded.

“Hey, how did it go?”, asked Haru, who was walking the other way. Makoto lifted his head and gave his best friend a jealous and discontent look. Haru blinked and shook his head disbelief at what he was seeing. He didn't know what to say, and didn't have time to say anything anyway, as Makoto plodded miserably on. Haru stopped and watched him disappear through the garage back door. He was at a loss to explain such a change in demeanour, but couldn't dwell on it. He had to put this unsettling moment in the back of his mind to focus on the very short, final run he had to do, which was more about working on the exchange with Rei than the driving.

 

_7:00 PM._

After a cocktail with the members of Team7, courtesy of the sponsor of the day's outing, the drivers helped the mechanics and engineers empty the garage. When that was done, Rei made an announcement to the whole team. His first time in a race car had gone well, and, although he would have much less driving time under his belt than the three others had before their first start (there would be two practice days in Japan, versus four in France), he was confident he wouldn't embarrass himself. The whole staff applauded upon hearing that Rei had decided that he would replace Nagisa, thus the Iwatobi Racing Team would enter the season-ending Suzuka 8 Hours.

A final helping of fish and chips was served in the motorhome lounge. The next evening, Haru, Makoto, Nagisa, Rei and Gou would catch their flight home, after seven long weeks abroad. Rei was very talkative about what he had learned. In particular, he had noted what a distraction the radio could be, which amused Haru. Gou butted in at that point to reiterate her question about whether Makoto's stature was less hydrodynamic than Haru's. “Hydrodynamic... You mean you nearly put me in a spin for a swimming question?!”, laughed Rei. Needless to say, Gou didn't get her answer.

Nagisa's spirits were higher now that the team's participation in the next race looked likely. He confessed to his friends that his sadness over the week was largely due to him worrying that his accident had spoiled the journey for them. His explanation was more convincing than his previous excuses, but it still wasn't the full truth, as he also felt better from the fact that his crash hadn't deterred them from continuing, thus he stood a chance of racing again himself the following year. With that, he grabbed his glass of sparkling wine and raised a toast to “Rei-chan, of whom I am very proud”.

 

Makoto was back to normal, but Haru was haunted by that dark look his friend had given him in the garage. Late that evening, he sat on the edge of his bed, waiting for Makoto to arrive for their final sleep in Europe. The taller man noticed the unusual stance when he returned to the bedroom; Haru would normally be lying on the bed, either above or under the sheets, but not sitting. He ignored it, and tucked himself in and asked if Haru was going to turn off the light. The very moment Makoto seemed snug, Haru attacked.

“Nagisa told me you were unhappy with your pace today.”

Makoto's eyes opened wide. He could imagine Nagisa on pit wall going “hey Haru-chan, Mako-chan was pretty obsessed with comparing his times to yours just now”.

“He... said what?”, he replied, hesitantly.

“He said you weren't happy with your lap times”, repeated Haru.

“S... So?”, responded Makoto. “Can't I be disappointed?”

“I don't see what you could be disappointed with”, said Haru. “You were consistent, made no mistakes, got some very good fuel mileage. Nothing wrong there.”

“Nothing wrong...”, he repeated, sitting up with a stern look on his face. “'Nothing wrong' is nothing special. Even you notice that I haven't made progress.”

“I don't understand what you're using to assess that”, replied Haru. “You learnt a new track today, and within an hour or so, you were capable of running a decent hour-long stint, that's good news! I don't know what more you wanted.” He stared longly at Makoto, who remained uncomfortably silent. Sensing that he might not get an answer, he looked away and continued. “Whatever it is, it seems important to you, Makoto. It's ok if you don't want to talk to me about it, but you know you can tell me anything. I'm your team-mate in a relay, not your rival.”

That word, 'relay', was meaningful to both of them, and, somewhat surprisingly, it was the first time Makoto had heard it in an endurance racing context. It allowed him to put his point forward more calmly, while Haru started to open his bed sheets and lay down.

“But how can our relay team perform if each of us doesn't speed up?”, he sighed. “If I don't catch up with you...”

“But that's the thing: you don't have to catch up”, Haru interrupted. “You drive in your way, and I drive in mine. It's exactly like swimming. Each of us has a style.”

“No, Haru”, said Makoto, shaking his head. “I won't accept that I'm inherently slower than you this time. I've been casually interested in this sport for years, I can't be slower than someone who isn't and who's so...” He hesitated to finish, but Haru froze, waiting for an end to that sentence. Makoto took a deep breath and tried to continue with the emotion grasping his throat. “Look at it this way... You know how excited Nagisa was about racing. I could understand Nagisa being faster than me... But you... I don't understand how you can be so cagey, even nasty, sometimes... Like at Le Mans, like yesterday when you said that thing about Nagisa... Yet you get in the car and effortlessly outdrive the both of us. That's why I have to catch up. The gap between us today was too much for me... I feel useless.”

Makoto was covering his mouth and sniffling. It had been hard for him to express how confused Haru's attitude had made him feel. He feared that admitting it would change something. But at the same time, Haru had convinced him that holding it back wasn't sane for the atmosphere between the two of them.

Haru was lost for words. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Makoto was the very reason he had given it extra at Le Mans. He wanted to give him the best results possible, for him to get the most out of his project. He hadn't imagined that Makoto could feel humiliated instead. He got up and sat next to his saddened childhood friend, who started to cry quietly. Placing one hand on his back, Haru tried to reassure him.

“Makoto”, he called, “we've had a hard time this week. Because of Nagisa's accident, I guess we're all a little unstable. I shouldn't have said what I said yesterday. I'm sorry. As for you... You're not useless. Please understand that I'm not racing to beat you.”

Makoto turned around, and his wet eyes met Haru's determined, blue look.

“I race for the team. We race together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, I'm really ripping off the songs in this chapter. I thought the character duet title fitted perfectly for this sequence, which ends the second arc of the fiction if you go by geography. The next chapter will talk about the team's return home, so if you go by dates, that's be the closing of the second arc (and I go by the dates).
> 
> Don't hesitate to leave a comment about what you've liked/haven't liked so far, or questions if you have any. Also, [sketches](http://aers-radio.tumblr.com/post/125509292721/ai-you-do-realise-that-towels-going-to-be-wet) are still popping up from time to time on the tumblr along with a few motor racing amusements.


	25. Back in Japan

**Mine Circuit, Japan, Sunday 5 th October 2014: Mazda Private Test**

As if one wasn't enough, two Furais were screaming around the track on that dry, overcast morning. Having just arrived at the circuit to join his team's test day, Sosuke was blown away by the chorus as one passed the other and pulled away substantially. It could have been Rin versus Ai, but it wasn't. Rin was on pit wall with Seijuro and Sosuke, while Ai was talking to the mechanics in the garage, preparing a third car for a run. In the cars were two candidates for a position that had been opened up just a few days earlier.

Nagisa's injury hadn't only been a traumatic event for the Iwatobi Racing Team. It sent a shockwave through the sport, as, for the first time in the Series' 8-year existence, a driver had been seriously hurt in a crash. It asked some serious questions, and an investigation board had been set up to answer them. They would look at possible contributing factors to the shunt, exploring technical issues such as the safety structures in the new Experimental machines, general circumstances such as the perceived overcrowding of the racetrack and the weather, and of course, the chain of events immediately surrounding the crash: the actions of the drivers involved in the collision.

Sosuke had uncomfortably given his testimony on the evening of the Donington race. Two days later, Nagisa had been questioned, but, while he knew that he and Sosuke had collided, he didn't remember much more about the crash itself. The race engineers had been asked to look at the replays and give their opinions. Radio conversations were scrutinised. The five senior driver representatives who spoke at the driver briefings would contribute to the final reports, including on the aspect of how their colleagues were behaving on track. Sosuke was quite concerned about what could be said of him in that part, as he still felt he had done nothing wrong, and that it was Nagisa who turned into him.

The depositions had been made, so the team moved on to another worry. Losing a driver to injury had become a real possibility, one that Seijuro and Rin, as captains of the team, decided to open their eyes to. They launched a lightning campaign at Samezuka Academy to recruit a new member, a reserve driver. A dozen young men accepted to have a go, and were tested on the Saturday in hatchbacks that Rin and Ai had also run that day, to set them up for an upcoming 'Street Race'. Seijuro and Rin selected one candidate each, and their two champions were going head to head in the real thing, the Furai.

“NII-CHAN! RIN-SENPAI! How's my driving going?”, shrieked one of them on the radio.

“Geez, Momo, we've been through this. No indications!”, answered Rin, a little annoyed.

“Momotaro?! Seriously?!”, said Sosuke, unsure whether to be impressed by the tactician's younger brother's pace, or depressed at the perspective of working with such a brash character. Rin leaned towards Sosuke, pointing at Seijuro.

“His choice, unsurprisingly”, Rin said, quietly. “He's very quick, I think he has the upper hand in terms of skill.”

“But in terms of attitude...”, Sosuke nodded, continuing Rin's train of thought. Nothing more needed to be said. Sosuke left the pit wall and went to talk to Ai in the garage. The two cars that had been used in the races had been shipped back from Europe and sat side by side, while the two others were being driven by the candidates. Like Iwatobi, Samezuka had given their cars nicknames. Only they had four names to find rather than just the one. They went for the most obvious: the four swimming styles. 'Free' was set up in a low-downforce configuration that best suited Le Mans. 'Butter' was originally the spare, but the team decided to race it at Donington so as not to undo the work done on 'Free'. Thus, these two were the team's main race cars: 'Free' at the fast circuits, 'Butter' on the slower tracks. Which one would go to Suzuka hadn't been decided yet.

On track, 'Back', coincidentally driven by Momotaro, was set to become the team's new spare, while the other, 'Breast', would be permanently stationed at Mine for testing, and was also due to take part in a demonstration run in November, linked with that 'Street Race' the drivers were talking a lot about.

Both cars had the same settings, but, while the two youngsters had been evenly matched in the road cars, 'Back' was clearly the prototype being driven at the fastest pace.

***

 

**Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan, Monday 6 th October 2014, 3 PM  
**

The press flocked to the gate where the Iwatobi Racing Team would pass once they had picked up their luggage. The boys would have preferred a more discreet arrival, but they were the heroes of the Le Mans race, and the media were eager to hear from them after Nagisa's accident. Gou had received dozens of sollicitations for interviews or press conferences over the week after Donington, so Rei, Makoto and Gou decided to make one statement upon their return to Japan, which they wrote on the plane home.

The drivers came out of the disembarkation area first, paused to allow the photographers to take a few pictures of them with their TLM medals, then, half-blinded by the flashes, the three moved on to a side-room reserved to reunite them with their families and friends in a calmer atmosphere. Rei and Gou came forward next, and they would do the talking. The tactician took a piece of paper out of his jacket, and waited for some silence before reading the team's official statement.

“The Iwatobi Racing Team wishes to thank everyone who has helped us through this long adventure in Europe. We've received many, many messages from fans, opponents, and our families and friends of course, congratulating us on our race at Le Mans, and supporting Hazuki Nagisa-kun after he was hurt at Donington. All these messages have gone straight to our hearts and given us strength, and convinced us that we should honour our word, and take part in the final race of the 2014 AERS, at Suzuka. In order to do so, Ryugazaki Rei, that is myself, will enter the event. I will drive alongside Nanase Haru and Tachibana Makoto.” A journalist or two tried to throw in a question in reaction to that, but Gou wagged her index to signal that the statement wasn't finished. Rei continued.

“We all want to go racing again. For ourselves, for Hazuki Nagisa-kun, for the people who put their trust in us to run this operation, but also for all the fans who encouraged us during the Toon Le Mans 24 last month, and for everyone who has shown sympathy in the past week. The Iwatobi Racing Team once again expresses its gratitude to them, and we look forward to competing in November. Thank you.”

That should have been all, and the pair got moving, but Rei distinctly overheard a question from a man near him. “What about the collision, what is your opinion on Yamazaki?”

Rei stopped, and pointed towards the journalist while turning back.

“Rei-kun, we agreed, no questions!”, said Gou.

“I want to answer this one”, replied Rei, “and get this subject over with.” He signalled for silence, and spoke. It wasn't completely improvised, as he had given the question a great deal of thought.

“My view of the incident between Nagisa-kun and Yamazaki-san is that... there was a misunderstanding between them. They went for the same line at the same time... This sort of misunderstanding happens a lot. Usually, there are no consequences, this time there were, and objectively, that's... unfortunate.” Rei was pained to say it, but he felt that was the truth: Nagisa was just unfortunate.

Lifting his head back up, he concluded: “in that light, the Iwatobi Racing Team is not lodging any complaint, and is not blaming or accusing Yamazaki-san or the Samezuka team of anything. That is our official position.”

Gou intervened to make sure that this was the end. “Thank you all, no more questions.” As they walked to rejoin their friends, the media inevitably continued trying to get another sentence out of them. “Bianchi” this, “Bianchi” that, but one question stood out, and left Rei puzzled. “Can we count on you to be present at your town's motor festival?” Sensing that he was hesitant, Gou pushed Rei forward to get out of the commotion.

 

In the corridor leading to the side-room, Gou expressed her disapproval again. “We said no questions.”

“I know”, replied Rei, “but I saw the chance to get that subject dealt with without Nagisa-kun standing next to me and hearing that. What's the room number again?”

“I can't remember either”, answered Gou, “but judging by the giggles, I'd say here.” She pushed a door open, and there was everyone.

Despite a long, tiring journey, Makoto still had enough strength to carry Ran on his shoulders. While she had her older brother's medal around her neck, Ren got to borrow Haru's. The father was showing Makoto pictures of the evenings at home watching the races, and of the banners that appeared in town after the local team's podium finish. The high school had re-used the congratulations banner made for the swimming team previously, covering the term 'Iwatobi High Swim Club' with 'Iwatobi Racing Team'. The joy on the faces of the Tachibana family was fantastically contagious.

Relaxing on a sofa nearby was the Nanase trio. Their emotions were more contained, but Haru's parents had watched the end of the TLM by themselves in the hotel room they were staying at for their work, and were warmly proud of what the team had done. They knew well that they wouldn't see Haru again for a while, as he would return to his training routine in the pool in Tokyo, so they caught up on as much as possible.

After his parents had made the trip to Europe to be with their son after his accident, Nagisa was reunited with his sisters. They had decided to mess with their brother in their usual manner, and had brought all sorts of glitter and pink and red pens to scribble girly motifs on his plaster cast. One sister restrained Nagisa's good arm as he begged them not to cover Naruto Uzumaki's autograph. He wouldn't admit it, but Nagisa had missed their teasing.

“Rei, my boy, what kept you?”, called Rei's father, while his mother ran in from the side to hug him.

“We were talking to the press”, he replied. “Wow, this is quite a reception!” White and blue balloons lined the walls, and banners from the team's swimming odyssey were hung up. “How did you unearth that?!”, he laughed on seeing an Iwatobi-chan mask on a table.

“Well, we haven't got banners for your racing team yet”, mentioned a young woman.

“Hana-chan, you're here!”, shouted Gou, hugging Chigusa Hanamura, her best friend from high school. At that point, Rei sadly thought to himself that no family had come to greet Gou. Rin had called her the day before to apologise for not being present at the airport, as he would have flown to Australia. Nagisa came up to them with a flyer his sisters had given him.

“Look, Rei-chan! Isn't it incredible?”, he asked. Rei winced as he noticed the scribbles on Nagisa's plaster cast.

“It's ghastly. Incredible your sisters would still do that to you.”

“What?!”, replied Nagisa, puzzled. “No, not the arm, the event! Haru-chan, Mako-chan, have you seen this? The town's gone crazy!” The others gathered around to look at the paper.

“So that's what that guy's question was about”, mumbled Rei.

“It's the weekend before Suzuka, so we should be able to go”, remarked Gou. Makoto had noticed something else though.

“Iwatobi Motor Fest”, he read. “Hmm... sounds a lot like...”

“Sorry I'm late!”, yelled Goro Sasabe, making a loud entrance.

“...the Splash Fest”, said Haru, finishing Makoto's sentence. There was no doubt, Sasabe was behind this.

“It's so good to see you again, you boys were exceptional in France, the whole town's talking about you!”, shouted the coach, putting one arm around Makoto and the other around Nagisa. He noticed the flyer. “Oh, but I see you've found out about the Motor Fest. I hoped to surprise you with that myself. Serves me right for being late...”, he said, a little disappointed, before returning to his overly enthusiastic tone. “Anyway, you just have to be there, it's going to be awesome! There's going to be go-karting for the kids, demos... and you guys have a chance to show the town what you can do in the Street Race. Personally I'd love to witness a showdown between Haruka and Rin in a different sport!” Haru hadn't registered the whole monologue, but he didn't like the sound of the end of it.

“So, did Samezuka find out when they got off the plane too?”, smirked Rei.

“Oh, hell no!”, answered Goro. “Rin and I have been talking about it since the TLM! But it's really on track now [pun intended] with Mazda's backing. They're going to supply the cars for the Street Race and give Iwatobi an earful with the Furai! Gou-san, could you ask Chrysler if they'd be willing to get a car to the event for a demo?”

While the discussion continued between the manager and the coach, Rei noticed that Nagisa was a little less chirpy about the idea, and he could guess why: with his arm still healing, he wouldn't get to be a part of it.

 

After a quick tea at the train station, it was eventually time for everyone to go their own way. Nagisa would catch the train to Iwatobi Town with the families. The next day, he would have to check in at the local hospital about his arm, before returning to his university which was closer to home than Tokyo. Having spent two months together, the separation wasn't easy. Nagisa and Rei became emotional again moments before the departure. Makoto smiled and said they'd all see each other again in just over a month, but Rei was just as upset an hour after the train left. He confessed that he was very concerned about his friend's well-being. The school term had already begun, so there was work to catch up with, and Rei feared that Nagisa could be isolated. Makoto tried to reassure him; surely Nagisa was outgoing enough to get over the inhibition his condition, however temporary, would bring.

Gou, Haru, Makoto and Rei all studied in Tokyo, so they hung around in town a little, got something to eat, and then each returned to their flats. At around the same time, all four, as well as Nagisa in Iwatobi Town, settled in for the night.

Lying in their own beds again. No room-mate to take into account. The comfort of peace and the luxury of solitude had become unusual. The bedrooms were unsettlingly quiet.

All five were restless. Nagisa looked out of his window, the ocean glistening under the moonlight in the distance. Rei put his agitation and inability to sleep down to jetlag. Gou exchanged some texts with her brother. Haru was eagerly awaiting a day in the pool again, with nothing to turn him away from it. “What on Earth did we just do?”, thought Makoto.

“Wouldn't it be fun to try endurance racing?” He recalled that fateful rhetorical question again, and tried to answer it. To begin with, yes, it had been fun. They had enjoyed the racing and going for gold at Le Mans. But Makoto and his friends had seen what a big machine the AERS was. The expectations were going to be high for their next outing, even without their most attacking driver. For better and for worse, they had come away from the experience with far more than they had banked on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "Bianchi" mentioned is Jules Bianchi. On the 5th October 2014, during the wet Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, he suffered a huge accident which left him in a coma. He never woke up, and sadly succumbed a few weeks ago.  
> I decided to make references to Bianchi when I wrote, in the mood of the time the fiction is situated in. These references are, of course, intended only to depict what the world's motor racing community was going through, and are not to be interpreted as disrespectful. A formal hommage will be made in a later chapter.
> 
> The accident happened the day before the Iwatobi team returned to Japan, hence all the questions. The boys hadn't seen the race, and have nothing to say on the topic. However, when word of the seriousness of the crash reached Rei's parents, they tried to talk their son out of replacing Nagisa. Rei held fast though: "I understand that it's strange for you, but Nagisa-kun is actually the first person who wants us to keep going. I've given it a lot of thought, I've tried the car and I think I can do it, so I said yes. I'm not going to let the team down by changing my mind. I've promised Nagisa-kun that I won't.”
> 
> A more jolly factoid: next to the Team7 driver autographs on Nagisa's plaster cast is a word from Fantasio. The two had battled in the first hour of the TLM, with Nagisa getting the upper hand. The message reads: " _continue d'attaquer_ ".


	26. An Iwatobi Town they had never seen before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are certainly some liberties taken with the map of Iwatobi Town, the width of roads, etc... Overtaking will be extremely difficult, but it's mostly a show for the local public.

**Iwatobi Town, Japan, Sunday 16 th November 2014: Iwatobi Motor Fest**

Ren and Ran Tachibana were side-by-side on the starting grid for their age group's go-kart final. Under their helmets, they both smiled as they saw a familiar figure stand on top of the knee-high tyre wall that lined the improvised circuit around the swimming club building. There was only one choice of starter that would have made them even happier.

Also with a smile, Haru raised the green flag above his head, holding the pole with his right hand and the bottom corner of the fabric with his left hand. He was such a “PR nightmare”, as Rin had said more than once, that he was even reluctant to promote himself, but marshalling a children's race in his home town was something he was comfortable with. As he lifted his right arm higher, twelve little engines started to purr louder, and when he started waving the flag, that was the signal for the competitors to get going.

On the side of the track, Makoto and his parents cheered the twins on. They would be midfielders throughout the race, spending more time battling each other than going after the karts ahead. At the end of the 6-lap contest, Haru waved the chequered flag for the race winner. Ren and Ran continued to bicker about what had gone on during the race, but overall, they had enjoyed it. After handing out some goodies to the participants (the podium finishers got a few more), and signing a few autographs, Haru and Makoto had to make their way to the train station parking lot, where the pits for the Street Race were installed.

Throughout the town, the shops were ornated with blue and white decorations in reference to the local team that had done so well. Meanwhile, as if to remind the inhabitants that a second team from the area was running in the series (and also to remind everyone who was supplying the funds for the event), Mazda was putting forward the black and red colours of Samezuka wherever they could: on the concrete barriers topped by catch fencing that lined the pavements of the street course that was going to be used, on hoardings and advertising billboards in the general admission areas, the go-kart tracks and the funfair.

 

Makoto and Haru hopped out of their taxi, and Makoto headed for a large tent to change into his race suit. Haru waited patiently outside.

“Nanase, I'm very surprised you're not racing”, said Sosuke, as he came out, suited up and carrying his black and silver helmet. “You were your team's best chance at winning.”

“I'm not interested in these individual competitions”, replied Haru. “Or at least, only if we're not being watched. And before you make that remark, it's different in the pool.” Sosuke shook his head.

“Rin isn't happy not to race you today”, he added.

“Don't play that card again”, Haru butted in. “I've been over this with my team, and I don't want to discuss it with you. I've decided not to take part and that's the end of it.”

“Whatever. It's not like _I_ care about it personally...”, shrugged Sosuke, as he walked off.

 

Rin was next out, talking with a brown-haired young man dressed in a red and white race suit. He interrupted his conversation to introduce him to Haru.

“Hey Haru, good to see you here”, he began. “Kazu, this is Haru.”

“Your great swimming rival, I know, you talk about him a lot”, answered the mystery man.

“Haha, don't exaggerate, I've probably only mentioned him once or twice...”, Rin laughed nervously, running his hand through his hair. “Anyway, Haru, meet Hasemi Kazuyoshi. He's a third-year student at Samezuka, and he tested with us recently. Kazuyoshi, this is Nanase Haru.” The pair shook hands, but Haru was puzzled.

“Nice to meet you”, he said. “Are you... replacing someone?”

“No”, answered Kazuyoshi, “I applied for the reserve driver position. Didn't get it though.”

“But he did well with the hatchback”, Rin grinned, “so we invited him to race here today. Tell your boys to keep an eye out for him...”

“So who is the reserve driver?”, asked Haru. Just then, two drivers wearing full Samezuka gear, like Rin and Sosuke, walked out of the tent and headed towards the cars. They were Ai and Momo.

“Does that answer your question?”, said Rin, who became more upbeat as a completely unrelated thought went through his mind. “Oh, Haru, did you see those BoP changes?”

“Yes, I did”, answered Haru, looking away as Rin grinned with satisfaction. “We're allowed another lap or so in the tank, so we should be on par with the hybrid for fuel mileage.”

Rin burst out laughing. That wasn't the reaction he had expected. He was referring to the fact that the Mazda was due to shed 20 kilograms of ballast, which should make it far more competitive, while the Chryslers were asked to add 5 kg, in exchange for a slightly bigger fuel tank capacity. Haru knew it, and smiled back. Seijuro was calling for all his drivers, so Rin gave Haru a quick “later”, and walked away with Kazuyoshi.

 

After that, Haru waited another minute or so. As he wasn't taking part, he would be in charge of strategy, which was a light role for a ten-lap race. Nagisa would have been the first choice, but he had said he was unavailable, having accepted another role in the festival. It was curious that he hadn't mentioned what that role was.

Finally, Rei, Makoto and Gou came out of the tent. Aswell as a slightly more elaborate helmet, Rei finally had his own Iwatobi Racing Team suit, with the top of the overalls replicating the swim club's tracksuit, and the bottom half imitated his blue and black swimsuit. The left leg featured his full name written with a very clever mirror effect about the two Rs of his initials, which were joined back-to-back and stylised to resemble a butterfly. It looked good on him, and Makoto was as usual in his suit, but the sight that caught Haru's eye the most was Gou in the same red and white design as Kazuyoshi.

“Ok Haru, we're ready, shall we get to the cars?”, said Makoto.

“Yeah, they're over there”, Haru pointed, staring at Gou as she attempted to single-handedly adjust her hair tie. Realising that one hand might not get the job done, she let out a dissatisfied grunt, to which Rei responded by asking if she wanted someone to hold her helmet.

“Oh, thanks”, she answered, handing the red lump to Rei, before stretching the elastic band behind her head to feed more of her long hair through it. Haru gasped as the tie snapped back into place as she let it go. “You really are a Matsuoka”, he thought, as the action reminded him of Rin's habit of yanking back his goggle strap before a swim.

 

Mechanics assisted the drivers in getting seated in the Mazda 3 MPS hatchbacks. Makoto, Rei and Gou had white cars, while the others were running the red machines. Haru and Seijuro, the tacticians for the day, went to sit at their posts. Although it was a demonstration event, Samezuka were keen on winning it, and Seijuro had asked for a radio system to be installed to communicate with his five drivers. It was only fair that their rivals have one too, but Rei saw little point to it for tactics, as he expected the three drivers would be rather far apart from each other, at least on the basis of the kart races.

A familiar, boisterous voice then sounded on the loud speakers around the circuit. Goro Sasabe would be the commentator of the event. “Iwatobi Town, are you ready for some serious action?”, he called. Apart from the children, the local crowd was rather placid to say the least. “MAKE SOME NOISE, IWATOBI TOWN!”, he shouted, to little effect. “Ok, the 15-minute qualifying session is about to start, and with me to give the starting order is someone a few of you probably know...” He passed the microphone on, and Haru froze upon hearing a high-pitched voice yell out: “ _Iwatobicho-chan_ , start your engines!”

“No way!”, laughed Makoto in his car, Rei was gobsmacked with surprise, while, in one of the red cars, Ai shook his head thinking “he just had to put a _-chan_ in there somehow...”

So that was what Nagisa had been hiding: he was the starter of the Street Race! As Rin was one of the organisers, he knew what was coming, so he just applauded and stuck a thumbs-up out of his door to point out that he liked the way the line had been delivered.

A few seconds after the “start your engines” order was given, the eight drivers did just that. Having made sure that everyone was ready to go, an engineer signalled for the cars to come forward one by one, with a reasonable gap between them, so that they could safely drive onto the street circuit. In turn, each passed the end of pit road, where Nagisa was standing, single-handedly waving a yellow flag to tell the drivers that the timed session hadn't started. For a few minutes, the cars would drive around at pace in order to get reference points for this track they hadn't raced on before. In fact, Sosuke was the only one to have even ever driven in town, as he was one of the few boys to have a license.

Still, everyone knew the place so well. They would find their marks very quickly, and being in a town, finding reference points wasn't difficult: a road sign, or the shape of a particular rooftop... No two corners looked alike, and the most observant among the participants recalled the names of the streets as they drove the course that led them from the train station to a corner with a well-known local restaurant. A tyre-wall chicane cut in two the long run to the coast at an intersection with another main street, then a hairpin led them back towards the town centre. A right turn was made in front of the town hall, and the next straight took the cars past the post office. Two 90-degree left-handers came along next, and, having passed the swimming club, the final obstacle of the lap was a roundabout the drivers would have to cross; for the occasion, the intersection became a tricky chicane.

 

After chatting with Haru and Seijuro, Nagisa took position on the concrete wall between the two race engineers at the end of the third sighting lap, to give the drivers the green flag and start the timed session. The engines got louder as the cars passed the pits; it was nothing like the concert of an X1 field, but the little hatchbacks still made some noise.

Of the Iwatobi drivers, Rei was the first to call in.

“Haru, the handling is very different to the Chrysler!”, he said. Haru was confused.

“Yeah, what am I supposed to do with that information?”, he asked.

“Er... Just saying”, answered Rei. “Front-wheel drive, it's... different.”

The first half of the fifteen minutes went by without incident, and the drivers were completing the circuit in about 1 minute and 40 seconds. At the end of the day, Iwatobi Town was rather small. Makoto and Rei were getting into their stride. For Gou, things were much harder. Whenever she appeared on camera, she still looked very tame in the corners, in particular the difficult final chicane. Unlike Makoto and Rei, she wasn't reporting on her run, so Haru decided to call her.

“Gou, it looks like you're not too comfortable”, he said.

“It's not easy”, she answered. “I'm struggling to coordinate the gears and the steering.” The steering wheel was of a standard, road-car type, meaning drivers had to turn it a lot more than in the race car or on the go-karts.

“Let me just ask Rei what he can advise you”, said Haru, before calling the 'theory freak', as Gou once labelled him. Less than a minute later, Haru was talking to Gou again.

“He says 'don't turn and do anything else at the same time'. That means change gears down while you brake. For info, he's taking the right-angled corners in third gear. In the turns, you only feather the accelerator to maintain your speed. Does that help?”

“Er... Yeah, actually, yeah”, replied Gou. “I really should have asked him before doing this.”

“That's ok, Gou”, Haru reassured. “Now you need to start pushing, there are only six minutes left. So, er... three laps after this one?”

After that exchange, Haru became a little more talkative with his drivers as the field sped up. Gou was still a long way behind, and Nagisa was seeing this on the timing screens, so he went down to Haru to suggest some “drastic measures of encouragement”.

“She'll never believe a nude calendar”, Haru answered. “But this might just work...” He pressed the button to call the only girl driver of the race. “Hey Gou, Makoto and Rei said that if you get pole, they'll do a swimsuit calendar for you.”

“Whaa?!”, she squealed back. It sounded a little too good to be true, especially with Rei on board, but it fitted Rei's confident, deterministic way of thinking to bet on something that seemed absolutely certain, so she bought it, and her pace in the next sector picked up. Nagisa burst out laughing as she improved her previous best time by over two seconds.

Ultimately, though, it wasn't enough to get off the last row, which, given her experience in racing cars, wasn't to be ashamed of. Also unsurprisingly, the drivers who had tested the car before the Motor Fest were out front: Rin and Sosuke looked poised to battle it out for pole, when, taking full advantage of a clear track, Momo pulled out an excellent lap of about 1'32” and took the lead! Seijuro was delighted as his younger brother's position was confirmed when the chequered flag brought the session to a close. Makoto was the best-placed white car, only just beating Ai to prevent a Samezuka lock-out of the first two rows.

 

**IWATOBI MOTOR FEST STREET RACE STARTING GRID**

ROW 1 - 1. Mikoshiba Momotaro (SAM) / 2. Matsuoka Rin (SAM)

ROW 2 - 3. Yamazaki Sosuke (SAM) / 4. Tachibana Makoto (IRT)

ROW 3 - 5. Nitori Aiichiro (SAM) / 6. Hasemi Kazuyoshi (SAM)

ROW 4 - 7. Ryugazaki Rei (IRT) / 8. Matsuoka Gou (IRT)

 

Rei was disappointed not to have outqualified Samezuka's guest driver, Kazuyoshi.

“It doesn't mean Suzuka looks bad, Rei”, reassured Makoto. “This is a different car; besides, they know it better than we do, they developed it.”

“I guess you're right”, answered Rei, who then noticed Makoto's position. “You went faster than Nitori, that's not bad.”

“Yeah”, Makoto grimaced, unable to apply the same positive attitude to himself. “It's a pity none of us can take on the Samezukas though.”

“The grid would probably have looked very different with Haru on it”, he reasoned in his mind, but, as ever, Haru could hear his every thought.

“You have to try, Makoto”, he said back. “Get a decent start and focus on keeping up with the guys ahead. Momo was good on one lap, but in the long run, I think he's beatable.” Makoto scoffed at Haru's optimism.

“It looks more like I'm going to have a job of keeping Nitori behind me”, he sighed. “Just like at Donington.” Haru wasn't impressed, but remained silent. He didn't want to discuss Makoto's confidence problem in front of the others. Just then, Nagisa called over, shouting “you have got to come and see this!” As Rei and Gou moved forward, Haru took the opportunity to grab Makoto's sleeve and whisper his thoughts into his ear: “if you want to improve, you look ahead, not behind. Focus on following Sosuke at the start.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OC Kazuyoshi Hasemi is a private joke with myself. He's a mix between two Japanese drivers I sometimes muddle up (one was a touring car ace, the other a single-seater champion): Kazuyoshi Hoshino and Masahiro Hasemi. They were both works Nissan drivers in sportscars if I remember correctly, which probably was what caused the confusion.


	27. Demo run & Street Race start

On the start-finish line, Mazda had brought out a Furai. The Iwatobi crew approached, only to be stopped by an engineer. “No closer”, he said, only to be contradicted by the team principal, Seijuro. “It's ok, they can come, there's nothing sensitive on this chassis.” So the team got to stand right next to their rivals' car. “Ah, good thing you're here, can we get a picture of all of you?”, asked a photographer. “No, we've got that planned for when the grid's being set up”, answered Goro. The situation was rather confused around the black and red machine: journalists, engineers, drivers and marshals asking for different things...

Eventually, some form of order was achieved when Rin began to put his helmet on. As he had qualified first of Samezuka's regular drivers, he had won the privilege of giving his town a taste of one of the sexiest sounds in motor racing: Mazda's competition rotary engine.

The people surrounding the car progressively moved to the side or the back, to listen to the music first hand. Once Rin was strapped in, he started the car. Idle, the motor let out a distinct gurgle; it was different to the hum that piston engines produced. Rin gave the bystanders a few more revs, and the high-pitched notes started to appear. On the public address system, Goro told to crowd to get ready to hear something very special. With that, the door closed on the X1 racer, and Rin got the car moving.

The straight then had to be evacuated, as Rin would do one passage in front of the pits at speed. But already, Nagisa's mouth was wide open with disbelief as the scream from the 3-rotor echoed back from the next street. “God, I love that sound!”, he gasped. With that, all he and his friends could do now was wait.

“It's a shame Chrysler didn't want to demonstrate our car. Why is that, Rei-chan?”, Nagisa asked.

“Well, now you mention it, I didn't ask about it explicitly”, answered Rei. “We told them we would be doing this, so they sent us our suits and helmets, but that's it. I assumed that if they wanted to show off the ME Four-Twelve, they would have told me and arranged for it.”

“Actually, I asked about it before you, Rei-kun”, said Gou. “They said no. The works team isn't coming to Japan and they didn't want to ship the demo chassis.”

“Also, they probably didn't want to be part of a Mazda event, right?”, noted Makoto. “I mean, we were invited to take part and all, but none of us is on the organising team. Except you, Nagisa?”

“Nah, all I was asked to do was fly the flags”, denied Nagisa.

By then, Rin was returning to the front straight. The pit wall fell silent in expectation. With the buildings opposite being much closer than the grandstands at Le Mans, this was going to be even louder than usual. And Rin didn't disappoint: he deliberately spun just before the train station, burning off some of the back tyres as he went, then darted out of the cloud of white smoke he had created and passed the pits on full throttle. What a noise!

“My ears just had a nosebleed...”, Nagisa squealed with pleasure, his eyes wide open.

“I think my ears are actually bleeding”, complained Rei.

“Yeah, damn! That was loud!”, laughed Makoto, taking a finger out of his left ear.

With the Furai on its second lap, the mechanics who had gathered to listen to the beast go by started to roll out the hatchbacks onto the grid, and Rin would park the racecar at the swimming club for the public there to get a view of it. With the cars rolled out, two white cars at the back and one in the middle of a red gang, it was time for Makoto, Gou and Rei to prepare to be part of the day's main attraction.

“Why white, by the way?”, asked Rei, walking to his vehicle with Nagisa.

“I chose white for us”, answered Nagisa. “Do you not like it, Rei-chan?”

“It's not that”, replied Rei. “I was just wondering why white, and not blue, for example.”

“Because white is for I-white-obi”, said Nagisa, most seriously. Rei chuckled. “Also because blue wasn't an option.”

Nagisa couldn't stick around with Rei for too long, he had to take his position at the front of the field to show the 10-minute board once Rin had joined the grid, after which the group photo would be done, and the Mayor would make a short speech.

 

Ten minutes later, the grid was evacuated and the race would start. Time for some last pieces of advice from the tacticians. “Remember, Makoto, look ahead.” “If you've got a red car beside you at turn one, be sensible.” “Rei, stick with Hoshino.” “This is it, Momo, time to show them what you can do!” “Er, Haru, who's Hoshino?” “Nitori, you can make this race safe for us by passing Tachibana.” “Hasemi, Rei, I meant Hasemi.”

There would be no warm-up lap, and the drivers of the eight cars were at Nagisa's command to get going. The young blond man raised the green flag in his right hand just as an engineer raised the 10 second board, and Goro Sasabe started to raise his voice. Rin could read Nagisa's lips as he counted down the ten seconds, at the end of which the flag was waved to unleash the field.

“WAAAH! _NII-CHAN_!”, yelled Momotaro as he floored the accelerator to no effect. In little more than a second, he diagnosed that he wasn't in gear, and got going promptly enough, but he had bogged down badly and was losing ground.

Rin, meanwhile, was right on the money, and led Sosuke to the first corner. The third-placed starter had to work around the stationary pole-sitter, blocking the middle line from an attack from Makoto in the process. Distracted by Momo's plight, Ai hadn't managed to threaten the first of the white cars. So, at the end of the first lap, the top three was made up of Rin, Sosuke and Makoto, with Ai and a recovering Momo starting to drop back, and the final group of Kazuyoshi, Rei and Gou further back.

Sosuke decided he wanted to make a move for the lead, so he started pressuring Rin. The race leader was unhappy with the idea, and let Seijuro know it.

“We need to gap Makoto first. We can do it if I don't have to defend”, the driver explained. “Tell Sosuke to back off for now.”

“Understood, Matsuoka”, replied pit wall, before passing the message on. After a few awkward corners, the Samezuka tactician gave Sosuke's reply: “ok Matsuoka, push, push, you're safe for a few laps.” This allowed Rin to feel a little less restricted. While Makoto had managed to cling on to the pair of red machines ahead of him so far, his task was about to get harder.

Meanwhile, Momo had managed to pass Ai, and Rei was looking for a way past Kazuyoshi for sixth. He knew how to overtake, in the sense that he had read enough about it, but he was uncomfortable about making a move. There seemed to be too little room to make a big enough difference to pull alongside, and he didn't want to be responsible for a collision.

“It's nice to drive in the town like this”, he told Haru, “but there is no way an overtake is going to work around here!” Haru shook his head and replied.

“You need to step back a bit and see if you can get better runs out of the corners. You're three seconds a lap slower than Rin, so it's possible to find a significant advantage on Hasemi.”

“Yeah... with that logic, it was possible for you to match Spirou at Le Mans”, Rei thought. Still, he followed the advice, gave himself room and attempted to work out better corner exits than the driver ahead.

Makoto was starting to find the lead pace hard to follow. Rin's strategy was working: without having to worry about Sosuke, he was putting together some very good sector times. Seeing a gap starting to appear, Haru encouraged his driver.

“Keep looking ahead, Makoto”, he said. “Observe their lines.”

“They're a step ahead of me”, Makoto complained back, “they know the car.”

“It doesn't matter”, replied pit wall, calmly. “I'm not asking you to beat them, just watch them and keep up.”

A lap or so later, Sasabe raised his voice: a red car was in the tyre wall at the final chicane! A white car managed to go around it, and of course, yellow flags were waved in the area.

“Haha! He knew I was going to slingshot back at him on the exit! I forced him into an error!”, Rei laughed proudly. Haru shook his head again, smiling this time. The driver out of the race was Kazuyoshi Hasemi, so Rei and Gou each gained a place.

At the front, Sosuke was starting to get impatient. The number of laps remaining was decreasing, and getting a pass done wasn't going to be easy. He looked in his mirrors: Makoto was falling behind. “I'll give Rin one more lap”, he thought.


	28. Street Race finish

By the time the two red cars leading the race reached the last chicane, the yellow flags were still out as track volunteers pushed Kazuyoshi's car behind the barriers. Sosuke knew that meant that he wasn't allowed to overtake in that corner, but he hoped to catch Rin off guard at the end of the restricted area. They crossed the line: four laps remained. They held a three-second advantage over Makoto, who, in turn, was four seconds clear of Momo in fourth. Ai was a lonely fifth, a long way ahead of Rei and Gou.

Sosuke couldn't get into position to pass at the first corner because of the caution zone, but he decided to have a go at the chicane. It was risky, and, although he did get a better run out of turn one, he wasn't enough alongside to make a claim for the position... but he tried to force the issue nonetheless by braking later. Rin didn't see or expect Sosuke to be in his blind spot, so the rear of his car made contact with the front-left of Sosuke's, which put the leader into a spin, and left the second car with a damaged bumper.

The two red cars were stopped at the chicane. The organisers had planned enough run-off to make the passage safe for cars in an event like this, and Makoto coasted through into the lead of the race. He struggled to believe it: “Haru, did the guys ahead just crash into each other?” Haru had heard Sasabe yell in disbelief as disaster struck the Samezuka leading pair, so he confirmed.

“Yes, Makoto, you are in first place. Three and a half laps to go.”

“What's the gap behind?”, asked the driver.

“Four seconds back to Momotaro”, replied Haru. “You've been faster than him all race so far, so don't change a thing. Keep looking forward!”

Rin was furious at being punted off at the chicane, but he rapidly thought to get himself going again. He turned to point in the right direction, but the marshals at the corner ordered him to wait while Momo passed through to ensure his return to the track was safe. Not sensing any damage, he put his anger to work on getting back in the lead. He warned pit wall: “either Momo gets a move on, or he moves over: we must win this race!”

Sure enough, by the end of the lap, he had got visibly closer to Momo. Reluctantly, Seijuro radioed his younger brother. “Momo, Matsuoka's closing on you fast. If you can't outpace him, don't hold him up; he's already in a bad mood.”

A handful of seconds after Makoto, the two red cars followed each other through the chicane. From the side of the track, Sosuke watched on with his helmet off. “Let's see how you deal with trying to overtake”, he thought. He listened to Sasabe's commentary carefully, expecting a coming-together between Momo and Rin at some point.

Instead, Momo came out of the first corner still in second on the next lap, but with Rin right behind him. Then, before Sosuke's baffled eyes, Momo moved to the inside line for the chicane and lifted off the throttle, giving Rin the position.

“He let him through!”, the retired driver exclaimed. “Why?! There's no way Rin's going to catch and pass Makoto in a lap and a half!”

Or so Sosuke thought. Rin had other ideas. Four seconds was a lot, but he was more determined than ever. Chucking the car around aggressively in the corners and with no-one to get in his way, the best part of a second and a half had already been taken back by the end of the ninth lap. This alarmed Haru.

“Don't relax, Makoto”, he said. “Rin's got back into second and he's pushing like hell!”

“How much faster is he?”, asked Makoto.

“It doesn't matter, your lead will be enough as long as you stay focused, which is what I'm telling you to do”, replied Haru. “Last lap, keep going!”

Makoto was still nervous about being caught up, so he couldn't help but look in his mirrors.

“Haru, I've just gone through the split, he looks closer, am I right?”, he asked. Haru was unhappy with the remark.

“Who cares?”, he shouted. “He's not close enough to make a move, so keep looking ahead! Come on, you've only got four corners to go!”

Rin threw everything he could at Makoto in the second half of the lap, but Makoto managed to maintain a sizeable gap into the final chicane. Coming out the other side, he saw Nagisa standing on the right-hand side of the road, ready to greet the finishers with the chequered flag.

“MAKO-CHAAAAN!”, he yelled, waving his flag frantically, jumping in the air as the white car crossed the line in first place.

“I did it... I ACTUALLY DID IT!”, Makoto was shouting in the car. Haru didn't know what to say back, but he was more than happy just to listen to his friend's joy. Then a call came through from another car.

“Well, the second half of the race was a bit boring for me.” It was Rei, who came home a very lonely fifth, with ten-second gaps either side.

“Yes, there was more excitement at the front”, replied Haru.

“So who won?”, asked the blue-haired driver. While Haru had told Rei and Gou that Sosuke and Rin had touched at the first chicane, with Rin continuing, he had completely failed to mention who had benefitted the most from the tangle. How could he have possibly forgotten to do that? “Haru? Are you there?”, insisted Rei.

“Yes, Rei, just got a little distracted”, Haru answered, before proudly adding: “Makoto won.”

“Seriously?!”, exclaimed Rei.

“Yep”, confirmed Haru, smiling broadly. “He took the lead when Rin spun and held on.”

“That's brilliant!”, Rei shouted. Gou was also impressed with the news. Just then, Seijuro came along, gave his congratulations and told Haru to sign off and follow him to the taxi to the swimming club, where the podium would be. They were joined by Nagisa, who was very excited to have seen Makoto win, and Goro Sasabe. On the way to the pool, Haru asked Seijuro how he felt. After all, this was more of a loss for Samezuka than a win for Iwatobi. “Rin and Sosuke will work it out”, was as long an answer as he could give, before Nagisa brought up a completely different subject.

“Hey, Seiju-san, where's your girlfriend?” The red-haired man laughed and said that she had stayed in Tokyo. “You'll meet her at the 8 Hours”, he added.

 

They only had to cross the roundabout that had acted as the final chicane to get to their destination. There, on the road, the six Mazda hatchbacks that had finished the race, three white and three red, were stopped in a line. The drivers were out of their cars and either chatting amongst themselves or talking to some spectators.

Makoto was surrounded by the children of the town who knew him as ' _Tachibana-kochi_ '. They just wouldn't allow him to catch his breath, asking to sit in the car, wear his helmet... And he would be even more sollicited when Nagisa arrived.

“Great race, Mako-chan!”, he cheered, lunging in for a hug. Rei was looking on, ever amazed at the energy Nagisa could deploy, even with only one arm available. Haru came up to him.

“By the way, Rei, good race”, he complimented.

“You think so?”, asked Rei. “I didn't manage to go after Nitori-kun.”

“Really, I mean it”, Haru insisted. “You were consistent, made no mistakes, and managed yourself well. Same for Gou, where is she?”

“Over there, having pictures taken with her brother.”

Rin didn't look unhappy. He was putting on a cheery face for the audience, but inside, of course he was disappointed to have lost. But the deed was done, and, while he thought that Sosuke's move wasn't right, now wasn't the time to spoil the moment for the town, or for his good friend Makoto, who, in the circumstances, had earned his win fair and square.

Goro called for the top-finishing drivers to move towards the podium. Situated in front of the swimming club entrance, the makeshift rostrum was made up of numbered starting blocks, with a wooden pallet under the middle ones to raise the winner's step. The scene was informal and very unusual: Makoto, Rin and Momotaro went up to collect the small trophies for the event with their siblings.

After that, the drivers would head back to the pit area to change out of their suits and pick up some refreshments. And Makoto was starting to look like he could do with a glass of cold water. Having carried Ren on his shoulders on the podium, the fatigue was kicking in.

“Makoto!”, a familiar voice called over. The smile on Haru's face immediately spread to Makoto's. They walked towards each other, and Haru held out his hand. Makoto expected the calm, Nanase-style congratulations; in fact Haru hadn't spoken a word to him since the finish. He went in for a handshake, only for his elbow to be grabbed by Haru's other hand, pulling them closer together. It evolved into a warm, friendly embrace, as there was something Haru wanted to say to Makoto very personally.

“Great race. You've improved today. Happy birthday, Makoto.”

“Haru... er... it's tomorrow...”

“Yeah, I know. The present came a bit early.”

“...Thank you, Haru.”

 

**IWATOBI MOTOR FEST STREET RACE RESULT**

1\. Tachibana Makoto (IRT), 10 laps completed

2\. Matsuoka Rin (SAM), +2.4s

3\. Mikoshiba Momotaro (SAM), +5.1s

4\. Nitori Aiichiro (SAM), +13.9s

5\. Ryugazaki Rei (IRT), +24.2s

6\. Matsuoka Gou (IRT), +36.0s

OUT. Yamazaki Sosuke (SAM), 6 laps completed

OUT. Hasemi Kazuyoshi (SAM), 4 laps completed

***

 

Sosuke waited in the drivers' changing tent for the podium ceremony to pass. He knew he could not escape a frank talk with Rin about what had happened. Rin arrived joking with Kazuyoshi, as they were sharing the changing room with Sosuke. Upon seeing that the latter had been sitting there, waiting, still in his race suit, he recommended that Kazuyoshi pick his things up and go to Ai and Momo's changing room.

The two were alone, and Rin got his arms out of the top half of his overalls as he spoke.

“Samezuka had the first three places on the grid. From that position, losing the race was unthinkable. I told you to be careful.”

“Being careful doesn't mean I can't challenge you”, said Sosuke. “I gave you your respite to shake off Tachibana, but I wasn't going to just let you win.”

“That's fine by me”, continued Rin, removing his fireproof T-shirt and getting some deodorant out of his bag, “but you should have made the team's result safe in doing so. You went for a gap that wasn't there. For a start, you could have made an attempt at attacking at an actual overtaking spot.”

“Where you'd have me covered anyway”, Sosuke replied. “I had to be forceful.”

“There you go again. 'The way you were driving, I had to take risks'.” In Sosuke's mind, his own voice superimposed Rin's as that final sentence was pronounced. What Rin was alluding to made Sosuke stand up in protest.

“That's disgusting, Rin!”, he shouted.

“What?”, Rin shrugged. “You're always saying that you're having to barge your way through, but you don't 'have to' anything!”

“And _you_ don't have to bring Hazuki into this!”, Sosuke snapped back.

Rin gasped. “I... I didn't...” He turned to face his angry-looking friend.

“You did”, Sosuke stated. “Why else would you come out with those exact words I told him?” In turn, Rin became more assertive and tried to defend himself.

“Yes, I did quote you, but this isn't about Nagisa.”

“That's who I was talking to when I said it.”

“It's not about who you said it to, Sosuke, it's about _what_ you said, and what you do on track!”

“What _I_ do on track! Rin, I showed myself on the inside for long enough to hint that I'd have a go. In the end, you chose to shut the door, just like Hazuki chose to shut the door!”

“That's enough, you two!” The shout from the entrance to the room made both turn their heads. Seijuro, who had changed out of his team shirt in the same area as Ai and Momo, had been alerted by Kazuyoshi's move out of his allocated space. “It's getting out of hand. I'm unhappy enough that your move lost us the race, I can't let you throw mud at each other over it too!” Sosuke wouldn't calm down though: “your move” was a clumsy phrase to use on Seijuro's part.

“So you blame me too”, he said, sternly. “For earlier... and for breaking Hazuki's arm.” Sosuke's aggravated expression turned to pain. He gulped and added, with a progressively shakier voice, “but it wasn't my fault... it wasn't my fault he got hurt...”

He sat down, or more exactly fell backwards on to the bench, placed his head in his hands and gave in. He could shout out that he hadn't done anything wrong all he wanted, deep inside, he still felt some guilt. The fact that no-one, not even the accident report released a week earlier, officially laid any blame on him did nothing to shake that feeling away.

Rin had never seen Sosuke so destabilised: in fear, frustration or anger, his childhood friend was always capable of keeping his composure, to a point where he could seem cold. Unlike himself, who was known to cry rather easily. But the reality that someone had been injured while racing him made Sosuke crack. Rin sat down and consoled him, while Seijuro took a few steps back, blocking the view into the room for any passers-by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A [coloured sketch](http://aers-radio.tumblr.com/post/126851300256/in-this-sundays-fast-the-iwatobi-motor-fests) of the podium is on the blog.
> 
> It's back to the AERS proper this Wednesday, as the boys now make the trip to Suzuka for the 8 Hours Anime Race, the final race of the season. How do you think the Nanase/Tachibana/Ryugazaki trio will fare? Will the new Balance of Performance give Samezuka a chance to shine?


	29. Who's a big softie?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a rolling gag among racing drivers which consists of using the phrase "for sure" as much as possible. So far, the guys in the AERS had avoided it... until we spoke to Makoto Tachibana. Good job, Makoto. XD

**COMMENTATOR'S COMMENT: SUZUKA PREVIEW** (excerpt, published Friday 21/11 in the afternoon) 

**Iwatobi Racing Team soldier on amid Hazuki accident report publication**

With the horror of Jules Bianchi's crash at Suzuka still on everyone's mind, the November technical meeting opened with the release of the report into Nagisa Hazuki's vicious accident at the Donington 6 Hours. The main conclusion is that the safety features of the Experimental cars are not at fault regarding Hazuki's injury. It stops short of claiming that he did not let go of the steering wheel to explain the injury to his arm, but it reminds drivers to take their hands off it when expecting an impact. As for the direct cause of the accident, the collision between Hazuki and Yamazaki has been classified a “racing incident”. The judgement reflects the stance of both teams who refused to file complaints against each other, with Iwatobi race engineer Rei Ryugazaki describing the accident as the result of an “unfortunate misunderstanding”. The inexperience of both drivers involved was singled out as the main contributing factor to the crash.

Having found a substitute driver in Rei Ryugazaki, the Iwatobi Racing Team are on the grid this weekend after their fairytale-to-nightmare two debut races in Europe. Rather than reacting to the report, the squad has been focusing on the simple pleasures of merely taking part this weekend. Talking to driver Makoto Tachibana this lunchtime, he told me:

“ _To be honest, we're just thrilled to be here. Not to have Nagisa in the car is going to feel strange, for sure, but the atmosphere is great, we really feel that it's the home race and that it's something special. For a start, it's more relaxed compared to going abroad, and that starts when you pack your stuff to come here. I mean, to turn up at a race track with just a backpack rather than at least two weeks' worth of clothes in a huge suitcase [laughs], it doesn't sound like much, but that's actually a new experience for us, and it makes a difference! The timetable here is friendly too, with practice not starting until this afternoon, we can take our time to prepare things, and Haru [Nanase] actually travelled to the circuit from Tokyo this morning! So we're feeling very comfortable here and, with Rei and Haru, we'll do our best to get ourselves a nice result on Sunday.”_

**BoP adjustments read like an ad for a miracle diet  
**

“McLaren and Mazda lost 20 kg, Citroën, 25 kg, and Cadillac, 30 kg. All in six weeks!”

Joke aside, after the mid-summer tweak that left some in a bad mood, the midfield has been granted its wish for a major change, as the November technical meeting saw all the proposals made after Le Mans ratified. In X2, the weight breaks are just as big, with the Jetson Cadillac and TB5 Ford shedding 20 kg, so we can hope to see some closer racing, while Team Rocket look to wrap up what has been an exceptional season with a fifth class win.

Twenty-six cars are running this weekend, as a decent turn-out from the manufacturers for the longest of the fly-away races combines with the strong local interest from the anime world. The only teams to change their plans have been the Lamborghini-powered squads, Team Titans and Cardcaptors. After poor showings at Le Mans and Donington, they have decided to test the cars thoroughly at Vallelunga before hopefully reappearing next year.

The plan always was to skip Suzuka, but its absence will be felt: the all-conquering Peugeot has done the five starts its team traditionally limits itself to, and this leaves Team Kanto as the best candidate to take a long overdue second victory. Their main opposition should come from Maserati and Ford, but also be on the lookout for VW's German rivals Maybach and Veritas. DMLR came third at Donington and PPR racked up yet another fourth place finish after dicing with Spirou for the win, so these are _the_ cars that could turn into serious contenders after the BoP changes which has seen them drop 15 kg of ballast.

***

 

**Suzuka Circuit, Japan, Saturday 22 nd November 2014: Suzuka 8 Hours Qualifying**

The third free practice session in the morning featured the typically Japanese 'safari' attraction: spectators could be driven around the track in buses and see the racecars closer than from behind the barriers. When that came to an end and the cars were allowed to speed up, Rei did the majority of the running. He needed it to strengthen his pace, and didn't want to get in the way of others during qualifying, which, in his mind, should therefore be split between the much faster Makoto and Haru. But Gou and Nagisa, tacticians for the weekend, had other plans: they decided to divide the two-hour afternoon session evenly between the three drivers. Rei was surprised when he read the plan.

“You're doing well, Rei-chan”, explained Nagisa, “You've learned so fast, you're capable of turning a good stint, I'm sure you won't hold anyone up. Also, don't you want to try a qualifying run?”, he winked.

“Well, not really”, answered Rei, nervously. Despite having read a lot about racing techniques, he had no room to be as over-confident in his knowledge as he could often be; this was a dangerous game, as he had found out with Nagisa.

“I suggest changing me and Makoto around for the second part”, spoke Haru after a moment.

“Thinking of doing the qualifying run in the middle of the session while no-one else is, Haru?”, asked Rei, sensing an interesting tactical call.

“No, I mean just swap the drivers. Let Makoto do the qualifying run on soft tyres.” That took Rei by surprise.

“But... that's not logical”, he stated.

“Yeah, Haru-chan, you're the fastest driver, and you have been all weekend, it's only right that you get the fastest tyres to qualify the car!”, Nagisa concurred.

“Maybe”, continued Haru, calmly. “But I want Makoto to have the softs.”

“Haru...”, Makoto said, placing his hand on Haru's shoulder. “It's ok, you don't have to do this.” Only Haru knew exactly what Makoto meant by that.

“You know I think I do”, he whispered, so that only Makoto would hear it. He thought for a moment; there might still be an easy way out of this. “Do we have another set of softs lying around?”, he asked.

“I don't think so”, answered Rei.

“No”, Gou confirmed after checking her paperwork. “We only took one set of softs for qualifying.”

“So they're for you”, continued Rei, pointing at Haru.

“Well, give them to Makoto”, said Haru, pointing at Makoto.

“Haru, what do we gain by doing that?”, asked Rei.

Makoto was starting to get embarrassed, both by Haru's insistence, and by the fact that the answer to Rei's question was most likely “nothing”.

Haru thought some more.

Rei felt that the pause silently approved of his point of view, said “I don't think there's need to change then”, and started to turn away, when Haru spoke again, urgently.

“Has Makoto ever done a run on the softs?” Rei stopped and sighed. “It's not fair if he hasn't”, Haru added, firmly. “This was his idea, after all.”

“Haru, stop doing this”, whined Makoto. Haru sighed and changed his tone.

“Please guys”, he started imploring, “we're not supposed to be caring about the times. We joined these races for an experience and I'm just making sure everyone is getting as much out of it as possible. So if Makoto hasn't had the chance to do a qualifying run, I want him to have one.”

With that in mind, Gou saw a chance to strike a deal.

“Well Haruka-san, you haven't taken a start yet. So what if Makoto qualifies and you start?”

“Yeah, that does sound reasonable, Haru-chan”, said Nagisa.

“No chance he'll accept”, thought Rei, lifting his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

“Yeah, sounds good to me”, Haru answered. Rei opened his eyes wide in astonishment.

“Great! That's that then!”, jubilated Gou, scribbling notes on her programme sheet. “So Rei-kun and Haruka-san share the hards in the first 80-85 minutes, then Makoto-san gets a run on softs. And then Haru-san will be our starting driver tomorrow.”

“Except I owe Makoto a stint from Le Mans, so he can do that too”, added Haru.

Makoto and Nagisa facepalmed, the latter with a noisy grunt of frustration.

“I _knew_ it was a trick!”, shouted Rei.

“There's no trick”, Haru snapped back. “I did an extra stint at Le Mans, the finish was supposed to be for Makoto, so he gets a run back. I choose which one I give to him, right?”

“Alright, I get it, I'll qualify and start, just quit arguing now!”, intervened Makoto, visibly exasperated. “I'm off for a massage. Haru, care to join me?”

Haru usually didn't go for massages between sessions. He very much preferred a soothing bath, but in this case, Makoto was really asking to settle a dispute en route to their respective relaxing quarters. Haru knew it, and followed. His friend was so annoyed that he didn't even wait to be out of hearing range from the others before speaking.

“Could we at least talk together and agree before you throw your ideas around like that?”

 

Nagisa overheard Makoto's grumbling.

“Something's up between those two”, he deduced.

“Haruka is more hellbent on not doing the job than usual”, Rei noted.

“It was the same before the Motor Fest”, said Gou. “He told me by text that he wouldn't take part. I wanted to talk with him about it face to face, but he declined all my invitations.”

“He didn't say much to me either”, added Rei. “Only that he didn't want to be put forward individually. Something to do with wanting to be better known for his swimming, no doubt. I've always thought that was a silly excuse.”

“This is different though”, said Nagisa, thinking hard. “He's insisting on Mako-chan doing the work, but Mako-chan didn't ask for anything. And he didn't suggest you once, Rei-chan.”

“Well, that makes sense”, answered Rei, “this is my first race.”

“But if we continue next season, I'll be back in the car, and you won't have had a chance to do these things either, Rei-chan”, reasoned Nagisa.

“That's assuming Haruka-san continues”, said Gou. “I honestly don't think he will.”

“Wah?!”, squealed Nagisa. “Haru-chan's going to quit?!”

“Do you have clues to make that claim, Gou?”, asked Rei, equally alarmed.

“No hard evidence”, answered the manager. “I just have the general impression from his attitude that he won't go any further. I've always felt that he won't go on for long. Although... at Le Mans, it was his idea to bring you in during the Code 60, Nagisa-kun...”

“I thought Jeremy called that one”, said Rei, surprised.

“No, it was Haruka!”, replied Gou. “I know, it's like he's interested at times!”

“He drives so well, too”, added Nagisa, “so there must be something he gets out of this.” Gou looked down, grabbing her hair in frustration.

“He just makes no sense at all!”, she groaned.

“We need to know what's going on”, said Rei. “But how?”

The trio fell silent, trying to figure out a plot to get into Haru's mind.

To Gou, it was plain mission impossible. The only person who could get honest answers from Haru would be Makoto, but it seemed he was involved in this, so he couldn't be counted on. Maybe her brother could help? No way. He'd probably be too busy, and it would be safer if no-one outside the team knew of their doubts.

“I've got an idea!”, shouted Nagisa. Rei wasn't pinning too many hopes on one of Nagisa's cunning plans, but he decided to hear it out. “We swap rooms tonight!”, he suggested. Like in the earlier discussion about the qualifying stints, Rei missed the point.

“I don't know how us sleeping in their room is going to help, Nagisa-kun.”

“Not both of us, Rei-chan”, Nagisa corrected, “just one! We move one of them to our room, and one of us goes to theirs. That way, we each have either Mako-chan or Haru-chan one-on-one, and all night to talk it over!” Gou expressed some doubt.

“But which one of you two could possibly get Haruka to talk?”, she asked.

“Sounds like a job for Ryugazaki Rei, a.k.a. the Negotiator!”, smiled Rei, with his hand held up to his glasses. “I like the idea. The only detail that remains, is how we force the room change...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Safari is an unusual and unique element of Japanese racing culture. I've posted an [illustration](http://aers-radio.tumblr.com/post/127143483986/suzuka-is-go-and-ive-put-in-a-unique-element-of) and link to a photo article on the blog.


	30. Night of truth

_That evening in the motorhome._

Makoto was a little irritated by Rei and Nagisa's attitude over dinner. They were constantly over Rei's phone because of a quiz game he was playing. At one point, Makoto asked why, whenever Nagisa wanted to answer a question, he didn't tell Rei rather than insist on typing it himself with his only hand available.

“It's not timed, Mako-chan”, he answered. In reality, they were writing ideas about how to execute their plot that night, but they were about to be caught off guard.

“I feel too tired to do the funfair”, said Makoto, stretching his arms. “Big day tomorrow, so I'm just going to watch the fireworks then go to bed.”

“I'll follow you, Makoto, I don't want to wake you up if I come back later”, Haru said. The two got up, and so did Gou, but Makoto eventually noticed that the other two weren't moving. He turned back to them.

“You guys coming to the fireworks?”, he asked.

“Yeahyeah”, spluttered Nagisa, tapping Rei's phone vigorously.

“We're just finishing our round”, Rei said. “We'll catch up with you!”

“Ok...”, acknowledged Haru hesitantly. He and Makoto both thought it was odd that they wouldn't leap out of their chairs to go to a firework display. Especially Nagisa. Gou knew that they were going to discuss their plans for later, so she just ushered her two older drivers out of the motorhome, leaving Nagisa and Rei to come to terms with the fact that they were going to have to act fast and miss the evening entertainment altogether.

 

_Half an hour later._

Haru and Makoto arrived upstairs, and saw that both the bedrooms were open. They looked at each other accusingly, as if to ask “did you forget to shut the door?”. They quickly realised that neither was at fault, at which point Nagisa came darting out of their room, running into his carrying a backpack on one shoulder.

“Nagisa! What are you doing with my bag?!”, yelled Makoto, chasing the giggling blond boy into the other bedroom.

“What is he up to now?”, grumbled Haru, walking into his room.

“Good evening Haru”, said a familiar voice. Haru looked up and saw Rei.

“Why are you... standing on Makoto's bed?”, he asked, baffled.

“I'm claiming it for myself”, Rei announced, taking a proud pose, with his hands on his hips and looking upwards.

“Whatever”, Haru snorted mockingly, while turning to head for the bathroom. “It's his bed, so it's not my problem.”

“So you do not oppose me sleeping in this room tonight?”, asked Rei. Haru didn't answer, as his phone was ringing. His look became even more puzzled than earlier upon seeing who was calling.

“This is getting crazy”, he mumbled. “Makoto, why are you calling? I'm in the next room!”

“Yeah, but Nagisa won't give me my bag back”, Makoto complained on the other end of the line. “I think he wants me to change rooms.”

“Well, right now, Rei is standing on your bed saying he wants to sleep on it”, said Haru.

“With his shoes off, I hope!”, Makoto exclaimed. Haru lifted his shoulders.

“If you change rooms, that becomes his problem”, he said, still very calm.

“Oh ok”, said Makoto, a bit dejected. “If you don't mind and the other two insist, let's change for tonight.” Haru heard Nagisa yelling “yay!”, before Makoto scolded “careful with my bag!” in his direction. That said, he signed off on the phone. “Well, good night, Haru.”

“Good night, Makoto”, replied Haru. “I hope Nagisa won't keep you up for too long.” He hung up and put his phone on his bedside unit.

 

In the next room, Makoto warned Nagisa that he planned to get to sleep promptly.

“I'm ok with that Mako-chan”, Nagisa smiled. “I'll be happy just to have a relaxing chat lying in bed, if that's fine for you.” Makoto nodded, reassured that the evening programme wasn't going to be as hectic as he had feared.

“Hey, Mako-chan”, called Nagisa. “I'd need a little help...” He lifted the sling his left arm was suspended in over his head to remove it. “These shirt buttons are really fiddly to work with just one hand, if you don't mind just undoing them. Rei-chan usually does this...”

That last bit was a lie. Initially, Rei did assist Nagisa a lot, but he quickly made his friend do more himself, for when he'd be alone. With Makoto, who wasn't the hardest person to con, he saw the chance to be a bit lazy. It wouldn't hurt to slack off now, as he didn't have much longer in the plaster.

Makoto unbuttoned Nagisa's shirt and helped feed the plaster cast through the left sleeve.

“Do... do you need help with... the other clothes?”, he asked, a little anxious.

“No, the rest I manage fine”, Nagisa answered, continuing to undress. “You see, for the trousers, the trick is...”

“Er, I don't want the details”, interrupted Makoto, awkwardly. “Just change in the bathroom, please.”

 

Haru had been asked not to soak for an hour, much to his disappointment, so he washed and changed quickly. Upon exiting the bathroom, he asked what on Earth was going on.

“There has to be some reason why you and Nagisa are insisting on swapping rooms”, he noted.

“Well, if you don't mind, Haruka-senpai”, Rei started to explain, using the old _senpai_ moniker to touch a nerve, “I thought that maybe we could take some time and put up the race plan together.” Haru was confused.

“First, drop the _senpai_ , Rei. Second, isn't that Gou and Nagisa's job this weekend?”

“In theory, yes”, he answered. “To be honest, I still have my nose in it, but the point is, it was also their job to put up the qualifying plan, but then you wanted to change it. You have desires, Haruka, and instead of preparing something that you don't agree with, I figured that I should discuss it with you first.” Haru let out a nervous chuckle.

“I don't mind that much... as long as I don't start.”

“Ok, granted, so Makoto starts”, Rei said, while getting out his notepad and pen. He drew a three-column table on half a page, and began with “0 hrs | Mako”.

“It makes sense to me to give Makoto a double stint to begin with”, he continued, while rummaging through his previous stint notes and calculating, before concluding, “which brings us to roughly 1 hour and 45, given Makoto's good fuel mileage. Generally, wherever you two can do doubles, it's best to. The safest is that I only do single stints... But I do have to do two hours in total, so...”

Rei's brain was unstoppable at this stage, and he was scribbling various ideas down, giving his reasoning out loud to Haru, who didn't feel much concern for it. Nonetheless, he couldn't hold back a slight fascination at how Rei was capable of analysing the data so fluently. Counting fuel mileages, managing the stock of fresh tyres, keeping track of how much time he was spending in the car, minimising pit stop time...

 

In the neighbouring room, the atmosphere was less frantic. Sitting face-to-face, the latter wrapped up in his quilt, Makoto and Nagisa were talking about the Street Race.

“That was a fantastic race, wasn't it?”, he winked. “I'm sure it would have been a 1-2-3 for us if Haru-chan and I had taken part.”

“I don't know in what order, but I think Haru, Rin and Sosuke would have been the top finishers”, Makoto disagreed. “I wouldn't have stood a chance.”

“Aw, Mako-chan”, moaned Nagisa, “after what you did, you still think that?”

“Rin and Sosuke would have focused on the fastest of us three, most likely Haru”, he explained. “I mean, take some swimming duels, you vs Rin, and Haru vs Rin. In which race do you think Rin will be faster?”

“Versus Haru-chan, I guess”, answered Nagisa. “They have that special rivalry...”

“More importantly, Rin will also be faster against Haru simply because Haru is faster”, continued Makoto. “Rin would need to deploy more effort to merely stand a chance of beating Haru than to beat you by a mile. When there are no records to chase, you just 'win as slowly as possible'. Haru taught me that...”

“Ah, at the 200m race in third year?”, interrupted Nagisa.

“No, before the Street Race”, replied Makoto. “He thought that Rin and Sosuke wouldn't be as hard to follow if they didn't have a more menacing driver than me to beat. And he was right. Look at Rin's last laps, as he tried to catch back up, and you see how much he had in reserve. But in the first laps, he just wanted to control me, and he didn't need to pull out all the stops to do that. They were beating me no problem on pace, but because they didn't have to battle with Haru or you, they were at a more followable pace, that gave me a chance to observe, learn and improve.” Makoto started to smile. “And Haru foresaw that.”

Nagisa's eyes lit up. He was on the brink of understanding something major.

“So Haru-chan declined the Street Race... not for... whatever excuse it was...”, he pondered, before gasping: “he did it for you!” Makoto's smile got wider. He closed his eyes and nodded.

“At the Brands test, I was dragging so far behind Haru, it was hurting”, he explained. “He found out. So he promised me he'd help, somehow... For the reasons I just said, he decided that not taking part in the Street Race was one way to do that.”

“Mako-chan... That's so sweet...”, Nagisa sighed.

“'Sweet', don't exaggerate!”, said Makoto, a little embarrassed by Nagisa's choice of words. “He was also more than happy to skip that race.”

“That's what's weird with Haru-chan”, reacted Nagisa. “He's got a great competitive mind, but then he comes across as just not interested. Although this explains it, I guess.”

“No, that's something else”, said Makoto. “I'm not sure why that is.”

“Meanwhile, Mako-chan, has the plan worked? Are you feeling better?”, Nagisa interrogated, changing the subject back to his room-mate for the night. Makoto sighed as he recalled that winning feeling, even if it was a lucky win, and Haru's words after that win.

“Yes”, he answered. “I didn't quite beat Haru today, but it doesn't worry me anymore. And I think I'm getting closer.” Nagisa leapt out of his sheets and pounced on Makoto for a hug.

“That's great, Mako-chan!”, he congratulated. Makoto was happier, and Rei was doing well with his driving: it was looking good for the team to continue into 2015.

 

Next door, Haru had progressively paid more attention to the race plan Rei had draughted. Juggling with Rei's reluctance to drive in the night, after 6 PM, and keeping the number of tyre changes as low as possible, Haru conceded that he'd be doing a double stint at the end of the race, and ended up with the most of the driving, roughly half an hour more than Makoto, while Rei stuck to his mandatory two hours.

Haru had tried to put the fact that he “owed Makoto a stint” back on the table, but Rei replied that, as Haru hadn't raced in England, the driving times over the three events was more balanced.

“Also, you used that excuse for the start”, added Rei, nudging Haru cheekily as the two sat side-by-side on Rei's bed. Haru smiled.

“Ok, you win that round”, he said.

Rei was glad that he had managed to get Haru involved in preparing for the race. Not only that, but he felt that they had a common understanding of what the race should look like. In particular, Haru had no problem with being the final driver, the one who would make a push for position in the closing stages of the race. But didn't that contrast with his refusal to do the same at the start?

“I've always been the one that goes for the result... the last member of the relay”, he explained. There it was again, the 'R-word'. It struck Rei in the same way it had struck Makoto. In high school, Haru had always made an effort to race the relay with his friends, sometimes to the point where it was more important than his individual events.

“Relay...”, Rei repeated. Could this be why Haru didn't race at the Motor Fest? Could this be what gave him the urge to perform the way he was? He didn't bother to ask. Instead, he turned to Haru, and gave him a look in the eyes and a determined smile.

“Haruka-senpai, I promise I will do my best for the Iwatobi relay tomorrow!”, he told him. Haru just smiled back.

With that, the race plan was finalised, after which Haru decided it was too late to have a bath. He put it off until early in the morning, which suited Rei too, as he would go and work out some problem scenarios. Nagisa would need some guidelines on how to change strategy in case of a mechanical hiccup, or so Rei thought.

As the two settled down in bed, Rei received a text from his former room-mate. Makoto was sleeping, so Nagisa pounced on the opportunity to tell Rei what he had uncovered. “No time to explain in full, but basically, Haru-chan's reason to decline the Street Race was Mako-chan”, the text said. Rei couldn't hold back a puzzled look. Never mind “explain in full”, there was no explanation at all, and the conclusion wasn't clear either. It was so confusing that he preferred to ignore it, and didn't answer back.

Instead, he remembered another important subject he wanted to talk about.

“Haru?”, he called gently.

“No, I'm not asleep yet”, joked Haru in reply. Rei chuckled. He just hoped that his question wouldn't shoot down the fun evening they'd had.

“I'm just thinking about next year”, Rei continued. “With our Le Mans result, we'll have no trouble getting a deal for a car, but... I'm just wondering... Will we have the drivers? I mean, Nagisa-kun is sure to want to race again, I don't really have to ask. But what about you and Makoto?”

“You may be surprised by this”, Haru answered, a little gravely, “but I'm not sure whether Makoto will continue or not. He's felt a lot of pressure lately, living up to the expectations that the TLM results have brought on us has been difficult.”

“And living up to the comparison with you”, Rei thought, remembering the exchange he'd had with Makoto during qualifying at Le Mans, but he didn't want to interrupt to say that.

“As for me”, continued Haru, “one thing at a time. Tomorrow we have a race.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that wraps up the chapters on Suzuka qualifying in which I've talked out anything but Suzuka qualifying! I hope I've got the character attitudes right, this seemed the best opportunity for the boys to show their colours. And throw in a little fanservice. XD
> 
> Just to say one thing about the on-track action, the headline is that VW Kanto have locked out the front row, #8 (Ash/Misty/Brock) ahead of #9 (Gary/May/Dawn).


	31. Suzuka Hour 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tragic coincidence would have it that this chapter, which starts with a hommage to Jules Bianchi, should be published just as motor racing has lost another fine driver. IndyCar racer Justin Wilson passed away yesterday following injuries sustained in an accident in the USA.  
> The 8 Hours is my favourite racing sequence in the fic, at least my favourite to write. Humbly, I'd like to dedicate it to Jules, as originally intended, but also to Justin.

“I've read that motor racers are a rather close community. They talk to each other quite a lot, more so than swimmers.”

Rei recalled those words he'd said the very first weekend the team had spent in Europe. Now, here he was, one in a few hundred drivers, engineers, team bosses and mechanics assembled in front of the starting grid with their heads down in silence, out of respect for a driver whose accident at this very circuit a month and a half earlier had left him in a coma. The AERS race at Donington and the Japanese Grand Prix had reminded the racing world of a harsh reality: on track, life and limb were at risk.

“This is why they need to talk to each other so much: because they are in danger.”

  

_Forza Jules_

 

***

****SUZUKA 8 HOURS ANIME RACE GRID & STARTING DRIVERS** **

Qualified: 26 (17 X1, 9 X2) / Start 11 AM local

 _Row 1_ \- 1. Kanto VW #8 (Misty) / 2. Kanto VW #9 (May)

 _Row 2_ \- 3. PPR Veritas #1 (Peter Perfect) / 4. Team7 McLaren #7 (Naruto Uzumaki)

...

 _Row 6_ \- 11. Totally Spies Citroën #30 (Alex Vasquez) / 12. Iwatobi Chrysler #17 (Makoto Tachibana)

 _Row 7_ \- 13. Samezuka Mazda #22 (Sosuke Yamazaki) / 14. Powerpuff Bertone #33 (Blossom)

...

 _X2 Row 1_ \- 1. Team Rocket Alfa #80 (Jessie) / 2. MGM Kia #52 (Droopy)

 _X2 Row 2_ \- 3. Warner Bros.  & Sis. Yamaha #99 (Yakko Warner) / 4. Looney Tunes Alpine #50 (Daffy Duck)

 

***

**Suzuka Circuit, Japan, Sunday 23 rd November 2014: Suzuka 8 Hours Race Day**

Once the minute of silence had passed, the teams returned to their positions, next to the cars on the grid. The mechanics fitted the wheels, the tacticians went through their race plans one more time with the crews, and the starting drivers would soon be donning their equipment.

After performing the usual pre-race circle huddle, Nagisa walked with Makoto to the driver's side of the car. Suddenly, he froze, looking nervously at the seventh row of the grid. Makoto asked if something was wrong.

“I hadn't noticed who's starting behind us”, said Nagisa. Makoto turned around. It hadn't occurred to him either that their Samezuka rivals would be their direct opponents. And Sosuke's helmet was on the roof of the car, indicating that he would be the starting driver.

“What would I give to be in your place, Mako-chan...”, wondered Nagisa.

“Perhaps it's better that you're not”, Makoto whispered back.

“Huh?”, interjected Nagisa, unsure of what his friend had said. But Makoto didn't repeat it. He walked to the middle point between his car and the Mazda and called out for Sosuke. The dark-haired driver walked calmly over. He had no idea what his adversary was going to say, but Makoto didn't have a reputation for bad-mouthing. Still, he stood, face-to-face with Makoto, ready to hear anything.

 

“Are you starting?”, asked Makoto. Sosuke nodded, and Makoto nodded back, before holding out his right hand.

“May the best man win, then.” Sosuke remained serious, simply took Makoto's hand in a firm grip and shook it.

“Yes, let's keep this clean”, he said. Makoto tightened his grip, and nodded again in approval. On either side of the grid, the team-mates looked on with astonished eyes and relieved smiles. It was a touching gesture from Makoto, an invitation to put the Donington drama behind them, and race without fear.

 

It was time for the drivers to hurry back to their respective teams, and get in their cars.

Once he was seated in the black Mazda, Sosuke exchanged a few words with Rin.

“I'm going to try to gain position”, declared the starting driver. Rin refrained from telling his team-mate to be careful, but Sosuke was reading his thoughts. “I'm aware that we need a finish”, he continued, looking towards Rin. “I won't let you down.” With that, the pair went in for their traditional fist-bump, then Rin closed the door as the rotary engine fired up.

Opposite and on the row ahead, Haru had tightened Makoto's harness. As he grabbed Makoto's gloved hand, he repeated his advice from the Street Race.

“You mustn't abuse your mirrors. You look ahead, you go forward.” Instead of letting go, Makoto gripped tighter, and looked into his dearest friend's deep blue eyes.

“Thank you... Thanks for everything, Haru-chan...”, he managed to say, the helmet hiding his smile, but the lifted visor clearly letting the emotion of his green eyes through.

“Knock it off with the - _chan_ , already”, Haru sighed. As he got up to shut the door, Nagisa butted in, just as a siren ordered the evacuation of the grid.

“Go for it, Mako-chan!”, he encouraged. “You can beat Sou-chan!”

As the door closed and he flicked the ignition switch, it hit Makoto that Nagisa had called Sosuke 'Sou-chan'. For the first time since the accident.

 

“Let's make this a race to remember!”, smiled Makoto, as he drove the warm-up lap.

 

“Now it's just us two, Tachibana...”, thought Sosuke, as he lined up to take the start.

 

_**11:00 AM – THE 2014 SUZUKA 8 HOURS ARE GO!** And the Veritas gets a super start from third place, passing May and splitting the Volkswagens! Peter Perfect tries to go deep inside at the second apex of turn 1, but Misty has it covered. So the #8 VW stays first, then it's 1-9-7-19. The separate X2 grid also gets going: orderly start, top 5 unchanged._

The polesitter had chosen the inside line for the first corner, so Makoto found himself on the outside. He kept as level as he could with Alex Vasquez in the pink, green and yellow Citroën through the long right-hander at the end of the start straight, and the next left-hand corner allowed him to defend against Sosuke. None of the starts the Iwatobi team had witnessed had been particularly hectic: Donington was wet, and Le Mans and Suzuka were the longest races, so most drivers were cautious to avoid ending their races early.

_**11:01 AM – Perfect eyes the lead into the hairpin.** Misty is holding on for now, but it looks like Veritas want to challenge for the win as they did in Donington. The Fords have each gained a place in the first half-lap, while the battle is on for third in X2 between Yakko Warner in the Yamaha and Daffy Duck in the Alpine._

At times, under braking, Makoto could distinguish the high pitch of Sosuke's 3-rotor downshifting over the sound of his own engine and the growl from the Citroën V8 ahead. He resisted the urge to drive defensively, as Haru had told him that it would slow him down. He had to focus on following the car in front, wait a few laps for the pace to settle, and then he'd see if he had somewhere he could attempt a pass.

And hope that Sosuke wouldn't be too impatient. He had someone to battle though. The number 20 T-Rex Shelby had qualified poorly due to gearbox issues, and was trying to climb back up to where it should be. Sure enough, on the start-finish straight, Bugsy, the fastest of the trio of drivers in that car, pulled alongside and beat Sosuke to the inside of the First Turn.

The Iwatobi pit wall witnessed the pass, but the cameras were focusing on the battle for the lead, so they had to rely on the communications with Makoto to be updated on where their car stood. And it didn't take long for it to lose its position: Bugsy stuck the Shelby's nose in at Degner, and the Chrysler offered no resistance.

Makoto was apologetic for it on the radio, but Nagisa was too busy getting excited by the fight over first to answer. So Rei, who was using the second set of headphones, replied.

“Don't worry about that, Makoto, he's in quite a hurry.”

“So is the Veritas, will you look at that!”, shouted Nagisa, before receiving a whack around the back of the head from Rei.

“Concentrate on our race, Nagisa-kun, you're the one who's supposed to be talking to Makoto!”, he sharply ordered, before returning to the car. “Keep following the car ahead. If it passes the 30, let it go: your goal is to stick with the 30.”

_**11:03 AM – PERFECT GRABS THE LEAD!** A daring pass into Spoon Curve sees the #1 take control of the race. Also moving forwards is the #20 Shelby, taking 12 th off the Iwatobi Chrysler at the Hairpin. Their team-mates in #21 are going the other way though: Daphne Blake (#38 Ford) moves up to 7th and gives chase to Virgil Tracy in the sister #11 GT90._

Rei had studied the practice stints closely, and had concluded that keeping contact with the Citroën was a reasonable objective for Makoto. Immediately behind and with no-one to defend against any more, Sosuke was within striking distance. He hadn't made any moves to pass Makoto yet, but more than once, he had shown his black and white prototype in the blue and white car's mirrors.

 

As the first stint went on, Makoto lost a little ground to Alex Vasquez in the car ahead, and became ever more aware of Sosuke's presence behind. Nonetheless, he was holding on decently, and knew when he had to move towards the middle of the road to defend. His car still had a power advantage over the Mazda, so he didn't feel in big danger on the home straight, but he had to be careful when coming out of the twistier sections where the Mazda's superior downforce would come in play. The Hairpin and the Spoon Curve were the likeliest candidate corners for Sosuke to attempt a pass.

_**11:30 AM – The positions after the first half-hour.** Peter Perfect leads by 16.3 seconds – this is an attacking stint from the #1. The VWs are second and third (8-9), 6 seconds clear of Uzumaki (#7 McL) and Eddy (#19 Mase). In X2, Team Rocket lead by 8.2, Droopy (#52 Kia) is 5s clear of the Alpine, Yamaha and #88 Volvo scrapping over 3 rd._

The TV cameras were focusing on other fights, until a brief replay showed Sosuke braking late into the Hairpin, with Makoto defending in the middle of the track and having to go deep into the corner, losing momentum, but the power available to him allowed him to hold off his opponent, whose attempt to outrun the Chrysler around the outside of the sweeping right-hander that led to Spoon Curve failed.

“He's driving very confidently, isn't he, Haru-chan?”, Nagisa smiled, winking knowingly. Haru looked away.

_**11:32 AM – Close battles up and down the field.** While we watch Uzumaki vs Eddy duel over 4 th overall, and the three-way fight for 3rd in X2, the #20 Shelby is trying to climb further up the order, but Bugsy is facing stiff opposition from Matt Ishida in the #6 Digimon Cadillac in 10th. And the Iwatobi-Samezuka match rages on over 13th position._

“This isn't working, Seijuro”, Sosuke commented on the radio. He had been showing himself a lot in Makoto's mirrors, flashing his lights, running close in some corners, but his adversary wasn't putting a wheel wrong. “I'm thinking we need another approach”, he added. Rin was hearing this, and nodded in Seijuro's direction, happy that Sosuke wasn't going to persevere all by himself.

“We're on it, Yamazaki”, answered the race engineer. It didn't take long for a suggestion to come from the car.

“Is there any chance we can go a lap further than the 17 before stopping?”, asked Sosuke.

“You mean, 'can we beat Tachibana at fuel economy?' I hope that was a joke, Yamazaki”, Seijuro replied sternly. Rin scoffed nervously. Seijuro hadn't changed since his days as Samezuka captain: a direct, sometimes tactless manner of speaking. If anything, his ambitions had made him harder in that respect.

“Geez, I'm just asking...”, the driver said back. “How about short-fuelling the second stint?”

_**11:36 AM – Leader pits.** Full tank of fuel and new tyres for the #1 Veritas. It looks like Peter Perfect was using softs, and the 2013 TLM winner had a stellar opening stint. He may lose the lead once the pit stops cycle through though, as his pursuers probably won't change tyres. The different strategies are going to make this race very intriguing indeed._

Seijuro hadn't laughed away Sosuke's second suggestion. In fact, the race leader's early stop had made him think twice about it. The Veritas had breezed past the Volkswagens, and pulled out around 20 seconds in half an hour. Maybe a difference in the fuel load would make a pass easier for Sosuke, if the time saved in the pits wasn't already enough to grab the position without taking extra risks. Also, this would only work if Sosuke pushed to gap Makoto once he'd got through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drivers talking together has played a major role in making motor racing safer without losing its thrill factor. Most famously, the Grand Prix Drivers Association was formed in the 60s, when racers united to work against the trend of losing on average two friends per year in accidents in Grand Prix racing. Disbanded during F1's political crisis of the early 80s, it was recreated in the wake of Ayrton Senna's death, and exists to this day.
> 
> On a lighter technical note, split grids is a thing in the Japanese GT Championship, as well as in the United SportsCar Championship in America. The AERS is not a championship, in the sense that it does not officially crown a champion at the end of the year, thus having slightly different rules from one race to the next is no bother. In the 2014 season, one overall grid was used in Europe, while split starts were done at Laguna Seca and Suzuka.


	32. Day and night

_An hour later._

The plan had worked for Samezuka. They had stopped a lap earlier than Iwatobi, but, as predicted, their rivals had put a full tank of fuel in for Makoto's second stint, while they had short-fuelled, saving enough time to leapfrog the Iwatobi car. Sosuke managed to pull away on the weight difference, although Makoto's pace improved as he no longer had to worry about a car behind him.

Satisfied with his run, Sosuke handed over to Rin. This put the Mazda provisionally back behind the Chrysler, but Makoto would soon be making his own pit stop. In the Iwatobi garage, Rei was preparing to take on his first race run.

_**12:39 PM – #8 Volkswagen pits.** The intra-team intrigue unravels: Gary Oak in the #9 short-stinted the previous cycle, but now Ash Ketchum is returning the favour! He comes out just behind the sister car, but the battle for second place is about to really heat up!_

Gou reminded Rei that his goal was to be consistent for his forty-minute stint.

“Is there anything I can do about Samezuka?”, Rei asked, after putting his blue balaclava on.

“ _Onii-chan_ 's in the 22 now, so don't think about chasing him”, Gou answered. “Just be safe and enjoy yourself.”

_**12:41 PM – Pit interview: Pat Pending (driver, #1 Veritas).** “We need to pull away a little more to make up for our extra tyre change, but it's looking good for us with the VWs squabbling amongst themselves. Peter's done a super job, Penelope and I are under big pressure to continue that. I'm next up in 15-20 minutes.”_

As Makoto went on to his last lap for the time being, Rei walked on to pit road, followed by the mechanics. The crew could take its time to get in position, and Rei looked out, beyond the pit wall, at the grandstands. His mind flashed back to the Nationals – he hadn't been watched by so many people since then.

He knew an “Iwatobi supporters club”, mostly friends and family, had come to the race, and he scanned the audience to find it. It was actually right in front of the team's pit. A bird mascot, a banner... and his parents. His father pointed in his direction, no doubt telling his mother that he was about to take the car. It struck him how nervous his mother looked.

“I understand why you're worried”, he mumbled to himself. “I'm doing this for...”

“Rei-chan!”, shouted Nagisa from the wall, changing Rei's eyes' focus, but not his brain's. Nagisa continued, “Mako-chan is coming up to the chicane, get ready!”

Rei replied with a thumbs-up, and he turned around to get into his place.

“Him”, his thought concluded.

_**12:44 PM – The main load of pit stops is under way.** For the drivers who have done two full stints, it's time to hand the car over. It's now Sakura Haruno vs Ed in the battle for fourth (McLaren vs Maserati); Dexter and Sora Takenouchi take over in the #3 and #6. And Rei Ryugazaki makes his race debut in the #17 Iwatobi Chrysler._

Seijuro saw the Iwatobi car pull out of the pits just behind Rin on the live pictures. He had expected his car's advantage to be diminished compared with before Sosuke's exchange, but that it had melted to nearly nothing was a shock. He immediately warned Rin on the radio: “Matsuoka, the 17 is right behind you, speed up!”

“Who's driving?”, asked the driver. Seijuro looked back at the screen as a caption introduced the new driver.

“It's Ryugazaki”, he said. “Get going, you should have no trouble disposing of him, but we need to find out where all that time's gone!” He turned off his microphone and addressed one of his engineers. “Matsuoka's not that slow. I think Ryugazaki is short-stinting, but we've got no pit time to confirm it. The TV's not watching our fight, so I suggest getting the info ourselves. Can we get anyone to observe the 17 pit?”

_**12:46 PM – X2 driver update.** Jessie has handed over to Giovanni after a good first double-stint in the #80 Alfa. Team Rocket leads by over 20 seconds – familiar story –, with McWolf chasing in the #52 MGM Kia. Bugs Bunny is going to try to maintain the #50 Alpine's advantage over Shaggy Rogers in the #88 Mystery Machines Volvo._

Rin and Rei couldn't be more different on track: Rin was confident, incisive in the corners, while Rei was still very tentative in most places. The black, red and white Mazda had no trouble pulling away from the white and blue Chrysler. Still, the Samezuka pit wall wanted more from Rin.

“Their next driver is Nanase”, Sosuke remarked.

“And ours is Nitori”, Seijuro replied, realising what the next phase of the race would look like. “Nanase's going to destroy Nitori”, he thought.

Sosuke looked at the timing screen. “Still more than six hours of this to go!”, he thought. At the two-hour mark, Samezuka's position ahead of Iwatobi looked safe, but the game of swings and roundabouts that was on the horizon meant that neither could expect to gain a definitive advantage, unless one hit trouble. The Iwatobi-Samezuka duel was set to last all race, a fascinating, mouth-watering, but also stressful, prospect.

 

***

_1:00 PM-6:00 PM: pit radio highlights._

 

“You're doing fine, Matsuoka. Gap with Nanase is stable.”

“I hate him when he's sandbagging! He's just waiting for Nitori to get in.”

 

“It's the third knob on the second row of the console, Haru. Turn it to A, as in 'Attack'.”

“I'm supposed to do that while I'm driving?!”

 

“Don't be worried about Nanase passing you, Nitori. We need to save fuel at this stage.”

“The tyres are holding up well, so I'll try to follow for a lap or two. Then conserve.”

 

“The tyres are finished.”

“Yes, we anticipated that, Mako-chan. Sou-chan is close now. Do your best to stay ahead.”

 

“I passed Tachibana!”

“Great job, Yamazaki! They still have to put Ryugazaki back in, so now pull away a little!”

 

“Switch to map A, Rei-chan. You can maintain the gap to Ai-chan if you push!”

“Wait, my glasses slipped... There. Er, Nagisa-kun, if I push harder, I could spin.”

“I won't hate you, Rei-chan, I promise! Go for it! Engine map A! _Faito_!”

 

“Nanase is 5.2 back and closing, Matsuoka.”

“I need a more aggressive engine map, or I won't hold him back until the end.”

“Denied. The engineers want to make sure we finish. I'm sorry, you can't change map.”

 

***

_6:21 PM, live commentary transcript (two commentators dialoguing)  
_

-It's turning a little fresh now, we just saw a few coats and scarfs being put on in the grandstands there, but this battle between Samezuka and Iwatobi is pretty hot. Haru Nanase is starting to look like he's had enough of the rear view of Rin Matsuoka.

-Yes, these two have been changing positions regularly all race, and they've risen up to 6th and 7th as others have hit problems.

-This is a great race for Iwatobi after their nightmare at Donington, and considering they're using a reserve driver, this is a really impressive run from them. It's also nice to see the Mazda in a decent position, and still running more importantly, although it might get a tad less decent in a moment as Nanase gets a run on Matsuoka out of the chicane there. Rin Matsuoka to the middle on the home straight, Haru Nanase tries to outbrake around the outside at turn 1, that's not going to work, but he insists and gets nudged onto the GRASS! Nanase keeps the car going, but that was a hairy moment between the swimming rivals.

-Yes, we see Seijuro Mikoshiba there, looking nervous as that action played out. Haru Nanase might have to get creative with the traffic to make the difference, like Yamazaki did when he passed Tachibana... however long ago that was, it was daylight back then.

-It's such a long game, isn't it? You see there Matsuoka holding a car length or two's advantage through the twisty bits. You may be right, Nanase might have to rely on the Mazda hesitating in traffic, because Matsuoka's defensive driving is looking good so far. As we shift our focus to the battle for second overall: Gary Oak has his lights flashing into Spoon, so he thinks that it's time to get a move on.

-The thing is, these two aren't catching the Veritas quickly enough, so because Gary Oak has managed to stick with Ash Ketchum so far, he's thinking “I might be faster, let _me_ take the lead of the chase and I'll see if _I_ can reduce the gap more efficiently”.

-On the other hand, Ash Ketchum's thinking “if the Veritas ends up finishing fourth, as it seems cursed into doing this year, then this becomes the battle for the lead, and in that case there's no way I'm letting Gary Oak through”!

-Either way, Ketchum can no longer ignore Oak's girth as he defends into turn 1, and...

-Ooh, this is going to slow them up. That is not going to help them catch the leader. And Penelope Pitstop is not sitting pretty by the way, she was faster than these two last lap.

-It would be interesting to talk to Sam Oak in the pits right now, to see what he thinks about this. Do you let Ketchum and Oak fight, or is the priority still to try to go for the win?

-Meanwhile, here's the fight for sixth, and once again, Matsuoka stations in the middle of the road going into the final chicane, Nanase not trying his luck this time, but there's the traffic we just mentioned: Nanase not able to use it yet.

-Yes, Matsuoka made a point of going to the inside of the X2 runner, that's usually the better decision into a tight corner.

-That's the number 53 Kia they've just lapped, you can tell by the blue LED inside the windshield. Super race that car's having: second in class, Tom, Jerry and Tyke look set to stand on the podium, after the lead car, the 52, had that turbo issue. But back to Matsuoka and Nanase, we're seeing a replay of the coming-together of the previous lap. I don't think either made a foul there.

-Definitely not. Matsuoka, he had track position, he was clean ahead and on the inside, he was entitled to drift out. Nanase, meanwhile, made the choice to not to back off completely and paid the price by running on the astroturf. It's just good, entertaining racing so far.

-He's closer to Matsuoka this lap, coming through Degner, and he feigns a move to the inside at the Hairpin, Matsuoka defends, gets a little loose on the exit, and Nanase's got a run on him, it's going to be tough to overlap around the outside, but he's got the power advantage of the Chrysler... Around the long bend that leads into Spoon, Matsuoka should hold on, but Nanase brakes EXTRA LATE INTO SPOON!

-He's going straight on...

-NO! HE'S HELD IT! He's a bit wide through the second apex, but there's not enough room for Matsuoka to slip underneath! But Nanase is compromised up the hill, he goes to the middle of the road...

-Matsuoka won't respond through 130R, but maybe into the chicane...

-Yes please, Mr TV director, let's see this out. Out of 130R they go, Nanase ahead, no traffic... No problem. Job done: Haru Nanase is up to 6th.

-Splendid move, we see the reaction there of the Iwatobi pit wall, jubilant as you'd expect. Again, super move, he dived in at Spoon after a good run out of the Hairpin, and somehow... I'm amazed, _somehow_ , he didn't go out wide.

-I thought he was doing to dart straight into the gravel trap, but he held it! Matsuoka still rather close in the first sector of the track, but based on what we saw before the pass, I think we'll see the Chrysler pull away in the second half of the circuit.

-That was a fantastic piece of driving from young Haru Nanase, but Rin Matsuoka was superb in that too, he raced hard, but fair. He saw Nanase coming at Spoon, which, at night, is a bit easier, because the headlights on the road tell you where the car behind you really is. In the daytime, Nanase would have been in the Mazda's blind spot, and it could have been Donington all over again; instead, he saw it coming, left Nanase the space, but, like us, I think he expected Nanase to be way too deep, go out wide and then he'd seize the chance at the second apex... But Nanase kept the car on the road, and there was no answer to that.

-Now it's that fratricidal battle for second that's getting rough. Gary Oak really wants to get by, he's showing himself, and Ash Ketchum is really having to defend, middle of the road into 130R, that's going to compromise him into the Chicane, and he knows it...

-Ooh, he nearly cut Oak off on the outside into the chicane there, but that, in turn, should compromise Ketchum out of the final corner. Advantage Oak on the home straight...

-He looks right, right again, switches to the left, is he alongside? OOH! Ketchum decides to move back left and the team-mates touch going to turn 1! Oak leaves Ketchum the position, but that was... well...

-Un-team-mate-like! I expect Professor Oak will step in on the radio to calm his boys down, because that was silly. Lack of camaraderie has been Volkswagen's weak point today, and even their undoing in a race that should, really, have gone their way.

-These guys are very frustrated now, they've realised that the win has escaped them – again! VW Kanto have had five poles for only one win, and, as you say, this was supposed to be their race! They locked out the front row, and... it's all gone!

-It's almost that Peter Perfect won the race in the first hour! Only it's never over, look at Chrysler and Mazda, battling throughout the eight hours... The issue is, the Volkswagens have been too busy fighting _each other_ , instead of working together to win this race. The Veritas has been brilliant, I mean, take nothing away from Peter Perfect, Penelope Pitstop and Pat Pending, but the rivalry at VW Kanto has made life that little bit easier for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I opted to go "full commentator" on the Rin-Haru duel, because I felt more comfortable with it than in-car perspective. Hopefully it still conveys the excitement of the moment.
> 
> We now begin the final week of _Fast!_ , in which the big question still roving will be resolved. Meanwhile, here's a sketch of [the handshake](http://aers-radio.tumblr.com/post/127962818196/makoto-and-sosuke-shake-hands-before-the-start-of) from the previous chapter.


	33. That's it for 2014!

_Late evening._

After a long and tense day, the five friends finally got to relax. They were allowed to sleep on-site because of the late finishing time, but they'd have to be up early the next morning and get back to their universities, so there was no party. Instead, they enjoyed a simple hot drink in the motorhome lounge. Haru and Gou sat in armchairs opposite Makoto and Rei on the sofa. Nagisa sat himself on a tired Rei's knees, with his good arm resting on the back of the settee, rather than asking to shuffle up to make room for a third person. Nagisa was still wide awake and excited, while, for the three drivers, the effect of the adrenalin was subsiding, and fatigue was taking over. Haru was starting to notice an ache in his lower back.

“First thing I'm doing when I get back tomorrow afternoon is see the physio”, he declared.

“Ah, kerbs”, Makoto laughed. “Pesky things, aren't they? I know someone else who's had a hard time with them”, he continued. Nagisa knew he was being teased, so he gave Makoto's legs a push with his feet.

“It's alright with two wheels”, Haru replied, “but this time I ran right over them twice.”

“You were really on the edge, Haru-chan, it was amazing to watch”, Nagisa intervened. “Still, I'm proudest of all of Rei-chan.”

“Oh don't!”, Rei replied, embarrassed. “I must have been the slowest guy out there today. I don't deserve it. Haru was the best.”

“I'm still proud of you, Rei-chan!”, Nagisa insisted. “For your first race, you made no mistakes, and you managed to equal Ai-chan on pace! To me, it feels like the time you learned all four swimming strokes!”

“I think you were great today too”, Haru agreed. “You left me a car that was in a position to fight for sixth, and that's brilliant for someone who's in his first race. And Makoto...”

“I know”, Makoto sighed. “Sosuke passed me twice.”

“Makoto, don't be sorry”, Gou reassured. “Sosuke-kun's a much more aggressive driver.”

“And you managed to more or less stay with him”, Rei added. “My first stint was against Rin, and I was nowhere near him.”

“Your pace was great, Makoto”, Haru agreed. “Everyone noticed you were more confident”, he added, looking at Nagisa, who grinned and winked at Haru, who continued. “If you think the end result is good, it means that every member of the relay was good.”

As always, that word resonated. Makoto and Rei smiled, and Nagisa's grin grew wider. He loved the analogy.

“It _is_ like a relay”, Nagisa beamed, “only it's so much longer! Today was 8 hours, but it felt like forever!” That said, he instantly switched back to talking about individual performances. “Hey Mako-chan! Who are you proudest of?”

Makoto didn't answer directly. He just stared straight at Haru.

“I just finished the job”, Haru protested.

“I wouldn't call what you did 'just finishing the job', Haru”, Makoto replied, not breaking eye contact for a split second. “Chasing Rin and overtaking in the dark... That was special. You are special. I still don't understand why you do so well, but I've given up asking myself that question. I just sit back and admire your driving. Like I admire so much you do, it seems.”

“Get a room, you two!”, scoffed Rei, prompting Nagisa and Gou to laugh. Makoto snapped out of his pose and came back at his junior: “says the guy with the heffalump on his lap!”

“Heffalump?!”, Nagisa yelled. “Are you insinuating that I'm heavy, Mako-chan?” He got up to swap laps, and slammed himself down hard onto Makoto's knees. Makoto was half-giggling, half-groaning in discomfort.

“There, am I heavy, Mako-chan?”, Nagisa continued to tease.

At that point, Rei's ringtone sounded.

“Ah, good thing the heffalump got up!”, he poked. “This is probably my Mum... Wrong again! It's from Rin.”

“Ooh, what's Rin-chan saying?”, Nagisa enquired, leaning over Rei's phone.

“Ok, here it is”, Rei said, before reading: “I told you it wouldn't be the same without you guys. All three of you drove beautifully. Sucks to have lost: come back next year for us to get our revenge!” The text amused most of the group.

“ _Onii-chan_ is surprisingly graceful in defeat”, Gou laughed.

“True, I've seen worse from him”, Haru smiled. “But he's like me: it's the results in the pool that matter the most. That's what we focus on. And next year's going to be important, because it'll decide whether or not we have a chance to go for the Olympics.”

“And that will affect your decision to race with us next year, won't it, Haru-chan?”, Nagisa interrupted to ask. The thought of “next year” had made him turn serious.

“Not now, Nagisa”, Makoto whispered, placing a hand on Nagisa's shoulder. In an interview before the finish, Makoto had not shut the door on returning to the AERS in 2015, but said the team would “think about it collectively in the coming weeks”. So that was that.

Nagisa got up off of Makoto's lap and looked down, with his fists, one down by his side and the other poking out of his bandage, clenching. He began to speak, gently, but with an unsettling accent of sadness in his voice.

“Guys, I... I made us change rooms last night because Rei-chan and I had questions for Haru-chan and Mako-chan. It's only fair that I say something too, now.” He took a deep, sniffling breath, gulped, and continued hesitantly.

“I want to drive again. I want to drive again, with you. Sharing the car with Haru-chan and Mako-chan, and having Rei-chan's voice on the radio... I... I want us to come back next year. I don't want our team to stop.” He paused to wipe his eyes. “It's that simple, I don't think there's much more to say. From the moment I was told I wouldn't be racing here, I've wanted to say it... But I didn't want to force the issue. I didn't want to spoil our time at the circuits by forcing the issue... I'm sorry, I've spoiled the evening, haven't I.”

The others were compassionate, but not in any measure surprised. Rei got up and put his arm around his closest friend.

“It was worth saying, Nagisa-kun”, whispered Rei. “And I'd like to say that, as much as it would freak me out as it always has, I guess I'd like to see you back behind the wheel aswell. I enjoyed driving, but I'd like to see Haru and Makoto race with you again, and take my place back on pit wall. I'd like us to continue together too.”

“Surely we can!”, Nagisa asserted, loudly in frustration. “We're a super team! And this isn't like the swim club when Haru-chan and Mako-chan left high school, there's no reason like that to stop us from doing this together again!” Makoto stood up.

“And I never said we were stopping”, he said. “I never said I wanted to stop. Haru never said he wanted to stop. But I do want us to think it through and put up a plan we all agree on, together, out of the heat of the moment.” He aimed his eyes and smile during that last sentence at Rei.

Immediately after Nagisa's accident, Rei had questioned whether it was worth going on if it meant risking facing the same trauma again. The gang discussed it over the next week, and made the decision to take things step-by-step, use the test at Brands to give Rei some driving time, and let him decide whether he felt he could replace Nagisa. After that day, Rei decided he would race, and the team had kept going, much to the admiration of their fellow racers, of which, not least of all, Rin. After race day at Suzuka, it was clear that they had done the right thing, and, at least secretly, everyone was hoping there would be more.

Nagisa was still uneasy. Makoto reassured him that he hadn't spoiled the day. “On the contrary, we're all pleased to hear your enthusiasm again.” He turned to Rei. “Now get a room, you two”, he winked. “We all need some rest.”

 

The next morning, Haru and Makoto were up first. After taking a quick breakfast in the lounge, it dawned on them that this was the last time they were in the motorhome for the time being. It had become a third home to them. Each had a family home in Iwatobi, a student flat near their workplace, and this place, _their_ place. The one they shared with Nagisa, Rei, Gou, and the other engineers. A bit like the swim club locker room at high school, this was where they had felt the anticipation for upcoming events, relaxed between practice sessions, and reviewed their competition performances. Not to mention the friendly atmosphere and the practical jokes, one of the more memorable ones having taken place just two nights before.

A wave of nostalgia swept through Makoto as he and Haru picked up their bags and turned to leave. He stopped and took one look back at the lounge. Haru noticed he wasn't being followed any longer, stepped back and placed a hand on his childhood friend's shoulder.

“I still can't believe what we've done, Haru”, Makoto sighed.

“I'll admit that this was one of your crazier ideas”, Haru replied. “Come on, we mustn't miss the train to Nagoya.”

 

***

**SUZUKA 8 HOURS ANIME RACE - FINAL CLASSIFICATION**

Started: 26 (17 X1, 9 X2) / Classified: 19 (13 X1, 6 X2)

1\. Peter Perfect Racing - #1 Veritas RS III - P.Perfect/P.Pitstop/P.Pending - 238 LAPS

2\. VAG Kanto 8 - #8 Volkswagen Nardo - A.Ketchum/Misty/Brock - +0'18"084

3\. VAG Kanto 9 - #9 Volkswagen Nardo - G.Oak/Dawn/May - +0'19"312 (1 more car on lead lap)

...

6\. Iwatobi Racing Team - #17 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve - H.Nanase/M.Tachibana/N.Hazuki - 235 LAPS

7\. Samezuka Academy Mazdaspeed - #22 Mazda Furai - R.Matsuoka/S.Yamazaki/A.Nitori - +0'42"926

...

14\. (1st X2) Team Rocket Alfa Corse - #80 Alfa Romeo TZ3 - Jessie/James/Giovanni - 223 LAPS

15\. (2nd X2) MGM Kia Motorsport - #53 Kia GT4 Stinger - Tom/Jerry/Tyke - 222 LAPS

16\. (3rd X2) Mystery Machines X2 - #88 Volvo Concept Coupe - S.Doo/S.Dum/S.Rogers - 221 LAPS

 

***

**COMMENTATOR'S COMMENT, SUZUKA RACE REVIEW: INDIE TRIUMPH!**

_It was supposed to be Team Kanto's weekend. The W12 Nardos topped every session and locked out the front row of the grid. But things started to go against their plans for a runaway double as early as turn one, and by the end of lap two, they were on the back foot, unable to chase down the spanner in the works: Peter Perfect and his Veritas RS III. An inspired first stint on soft tyres spurred PPR forward, leaving the VWs to scrap for second-best._

Every now and then, to the evident dismay of team boss Samuel Oak, the old rivalry between Gary Oak and Ash Ketchum rears its head, leading to some... entertaining moments, to put things politely. When the two understood that Penelope Pitstop was out of reach, Oak pressed Ketchum very hard, trading paint on a few occasions, but the #8 held on to claim second, with the Laguna Seca-winning Double-D Maserati a distant fourth. The next interesting battle was for sixth, as the Iwatobi Chrysler only gained a decisive advantage on their Samezuka rivals in the last hour: the tense race-long feud climaxed with Haru Nanase making an awesome move on Rin Matsuoka at Spoon Curve after sunset. Mazda will still take comfort in making it to the finish for the first time with the spectacular rotary-engined Furai. Behind it came the Team7 McLaren which had qualified well, and ran in the top 5 until brake and suspension issues delayed them. All in all, it seems the BoP adjustments have achieved their goal in improving the pace of the midfielders; here's to hoping 2015 will be calmer on that front.

But, out in front, the 2013 TLM champions weren't to be matched by their former Audi stablemates. It's a performance that is all the more remarkable given Peter Perfect Racing's non-factory status: that car they have is _theirs_ , in the sense that the aero devices are of their own design, and that's a production BMW V10 engine they have under the bonnet, as is, with no extra tricks or tweaks from the M division. They have made a beautiful and efficient car (but we knew that given their numerous fourth-place finishes this year), and the team was rightly elated to see it take deserved top honours after narrowly missing out in Donington.

**Team Rocket close dream season with fifth win**

The star of the season in the X1 category, the Peugeot Onyx, was absent in Japan, but the ever-dominant Team Rocket Alfa Romeo was at hand to wipe the floor in its class again at Suzuka, this time largely benefitting from mishaps for their fastest rivals: the Alpine and the Yamaha both retired, and the #52 MGM Kia lost five laps to electric difficulties. This left the other Kia and the Volvo Mystery Machine to take the places on the podium alongside Jessie, James, Giovanni and Meowth. The former works Toyota crew has adjusted perfectly to the challenge of X2, and it's hard to tell who could possibly stop them in 2015.

As for us at AERS Radio, we now prepare to go into hibernation before reappearing next March for the collective tests, where we'll start the countdown to the new year of racing which kicks off at Spa-Francorchamps on 17th-19th April.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, had there been points awarded during the season (25 for a win as per the standard FIA system, with double points at Le Mans), the Iwatobi Racing Team would have wound up in seventh place, with 44 points, 12 behind the works Chrysler squad. Samezuka would have scored only 6 points for their finish at Suzuka.  
> Spirou's team sealed the unofficial title at Donington with 115 points. PPR would have amassed 85, overtaking both Kanto cars with their win at the last race (car 8: 79 points, car 9: 78 points).


	34. What the future holds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little RinHaru to finish off?  
> Money talk ahead, with no taboo on sponsorship, manufacturer involvement, budgets... But rest assured that's only a small part of it.

**Iwatobi Town, Japan, Tuesday 23 rd December 2014**

Rin had rung the doorbell at least three times. He knew Haru wasn't quick to answer the door, but the wait felt very long, and the cold was making him even more impatient. Makoto had assured him that Haru would be out of the bath at this time of morning. Rin called out, and was going to ring the bell again when an unlocking sound was finally heard.

The door slid open, and Rin saw Haru wearing only his swimsuit and an apron.

“Now that _is_ a sight I've never seen before”, he declared, unsure whether to look baffled or dejected. Haru, however, was surprised to have a visitor. In his typically cool manner though, he didn't let it show, and joked instead.

“You're not here to whisk me off to Australia again, are you?”, he asked.

“No, I'm going back after New Year”, Rin replied. “But I can take you to the Academy for a swim, if you're interested.”

Of course Haru was interested!

“Let me finish my breakfast first”, he said, “the mackerel is nearly cooked, so it won't take long.”

“It had better not, we're going to be late!”, Rin groaned, as Haru turned around, waving his left hand to invite his guest into the warm of the house.

The tension between Rin and Haru had calmed down immensely since the year they had met again in high school. Both had become more down-to-earth. Rin was no less ambitious though, he still wanted to become an Olympic swimmer, at least in one of the following four: freestyle, butterfly, freestyle relay and medley relay. He thus had ambiguous feelings about Haru. As much as he longed to defeat him in an international 100m freestyle final, he would also be content to swim a major relay with him one day. Rin dreamed of that moment when he would end the butterfly phase touching the wall, and looking up to see Haru dive in for the freestyle leg. It was a balance Rin had to find. Keeping a friendship alive would make a relay together sweeter, but he knew well that Haru had the ability to be the one who would stand between him and a certain number of medals, and even a place on the National team.

Former team-mates. Former rivals. Currently rivals. Future rivals. Future team-mates.

He had thought about all this, but that day at his old high school pool, he just relished the moment: he was with Haru. They swam together, under no pressure, just practicing. It was something they hadn't done in ages. They compared their training regimens as they discussed the next level with the few students of Samezuka who were staying at the boarding school until the very last day, including Kazuyoshi who had taken part in the Street Race. These were the ones who wanted to be the next Mikoshiba or Matsuoka, an illustrious school champion who would be scouted for the big time.

Then the students suggested a proper race. Not just between Haru and Rin, but with the best of them also involved. The third-years, who had known Rin as captain, and the second-years, who had so far been coached by Ai, and to whom Matsuoka was a bit of a legend (Rin instinctively dived in, fleeing, when they started mentioning the terms Captain Nitori-senpai had used to describe him – “Ai is going to hear about this tonight!”, he thought), had posted some good times at tournaments the previous year, but the pace of Olympic candidates was another world. Haru and Rin effortlessly pulled clear of their juniors, but, on the return 50 metres, they inevitably started to push each other.

Haru won the final sprint to the wall. Rin was not displeased though. He had felt that special urge to swim faster, something he felt the most only when competing with Haru. He quickly climbed out of the pool and offered his hand to a still panting Haru.

“Good job”, he said, smiling. “Can I help you out?”

“Makoto usually does this”, Haru commented as he grabbed Rin's wrist and hoisted himself out of the water.

 

_Walking back._

“That was nowhere near my best”, Haru remarked as the pair strolled along the coast.

“I know, I wasn't pushing in the first half either”, Rin replied. “But it was good fun for the chaps at the school, that's what matters.”

“You know, it takes me some time to get back to normal training times after a motor race”, Haru confessed. “It took around a month when I got back from Europe, and that scared me somewhat. But after Suzuka, it only took a week, so that wasn't so bad. I guess Nagisa was a lot on my mind in October.” Rin didn't comment while Haru took a sip of tea from his flask. “Having to stay out of the water like that... it's disruptive. It makes you wonder whether it's a good idea to do the AERS again.” Rin remained silent. “You... You're going back, right?”, Haru asked.

“I have a three-year contract, Haru”, Rin finally said. “Yes, I'm going to honour it.”

Haru turned away, and went to sit along the waterfront. Rin followed, but stayed standing next to the bench.

“Sitting down in this weather?! Brr...”, he grumbled. It was dry and mostly sunny, with a nippy breeze coming in from the sea. Both young men were warmly dressed, but Haru also had his hot drink. He asked if Rin wanted some. Rin declined, so Haru took another gulp of tea before speaking again, looking out at the ocean.

“Rin, I've been wondering... It doesn't seem to add up...” Rin was a little confused. The words reminded him of the talk the two had had on the evening of the Verifications at Le Mans, but he'd already been asked about why he was taking part.

“Why a _works_ team, Rin?”, Haru asked. “You said you wanted to join in, but you needn't have signed a factory contract for that. You've got more testing to do, it's got to be very hard to run both programmes next to each other.”

“You'd be surprised”, Rin answered. “Seijuro actually cut a good deal for both of us: part of our 'pay', so to speak, is patronage. Remember between the Test Days and the TLM? You were training by yourself wherever...”

“I wasn't by myself”, Haru protested.

“Ok, but point is, you were training”, Rin continued. “While you were training, Seijuro and I were at a tournament in the Dordogne, entry fees paid by the manufacturer. So we get to enter more competitions than just the ones our universities go to. I'd think you might find it harder to progress _without_ that sort of opportunity. You should ask one of your team's partners about support, like your manufacturer.”

“What would a car maker want to do with a swimmer?”, quizzed Haru.

“It's called advertising, Haru”, Rin replied, as he finally sat down. He knew this was a touchy topic for his more reserved rival. “The sponsor gets to show its logo off in places that seem unrelated, at least to you, and you get more chances to compete.”

“And chances to act in their silly commercials”, Haru moaned. Rin laughed.

“Come to think of it, Mazda hasn't asked me to do that yet”, he said, amused. “But just showing up in the AERS has an advertising side for them. You know my sister's studying sports management, and she says that Mazda's focus was 3/4 marketing, 1/4 sporting this year. I find that hard to swallow given the work we've put in, but hey, I'll take racing their car six times a year over appearing in one single cheesy half-minute clip any day.”

“So that's the real reason you race”, Haru deduced. “It's a giant publicity stunt for your swimming career.”

“That's a side-effect, if you will”, Rin said. “The main reason was the chance to reunite with Sosuke and Ai. They were very interested in this. I don't see them much now, like I don't see you guys much. It's been a lot of fun, doing something different. And that karting race at Le Mans, all ten of us, was fantastic. Then again, yeah, I wouldn't be doing something this time-consuming if it wasn't keeping me in shape or wasn't well-integrated into my swimming programme.”

Haru looked at Rin. He was smiling. He was evidently satisfied with the deal he'd got.

Rin turned towards Haru, who was maintaining his usual, expressionless face. Rin remembered one of Haru's previous remarks, and his enthusiasm turned down a notch.

“Are you considering stopping?”, he asked.

“I did at one point”, Haru answered. “But I decided there were more sights worth seeing.”

“Gets you out of the country, huh?”, Rin smiled again.

“I wasn't entirely truthful when I told you that.” Rin gazed at Haru in surprise. He had bought Haru's answer back at Le Mans, when he said that the racing programme would allow him to travel more and see the wider world, and he had bought it because he knew Haru had enjoyed exploring a new country when they had visited Australia together. Haru took another swig of tea from his flask, swallowed loudly and continued.

“I raced this year for the others. They were so keen, I didn't want to let them down. I guess at first I was hoping the idea would fizzle out, or that we wouldn't get much out of it, but that didn't happen. Particularly at Suzuka, I got that special feeling again, the one I had when us four were competing together in the relay. We all did, and it turns out none of us can get enough of that feeling. You should see Rei's face when he draws up a race plan! Or hear Makoto's voice when he gets out of the car and he's given it everything. And Nagisa...” He sighed. “Even after what happened, Nagisa really wants to go driving again. And I really want to see him drive again. Makoto's progressed, and Nagisa will be spectacular if he finds form again. That start of his, at Le Mans! I definitely want to see more of that. The three of us, with Rei doing the strategy... I'm prepared to take some time out of swimming to get that feeling again.”

“Not to mention that's more chances to go against good old me, huh?”, Rin grinned, nudging Haru with his elbow. “I know you, you wouldn't be coming back for more if you hadn't enjoyed that fight of ours!” Haru stayed silent as Rin nudged him again. Sure, he had appreciated the duel at Suzuka, but his thoughts were on another. His attention was then drawn by familiar voices calling from about thirty yards away.

“I'm telling you it's them! HARU-CHAN! RIN-CHAN!”

“Ouch, don't yank my arm like that, Nagisa-kun!”

The two sitting at the bench turned around and waved as Nagisa ran towards them, pulling Rei with him.

“Hey, what brings you guys out on a day like this?”, Rin asked.

“I was going to ask you the same thing”, Rei replied, “sitting there in the cold! Damn! And when did you get here, Rin?”

“Sunday”, Rin answered. “Today I invited Haru to Samezuka for a swim.”

“Ah, funny that!”, said Nagisa, excitedly, as the pair came in front of the bench to untwist Rin and Haru's necks. “Rei-chan and I went for a swim on Saturday at the public pool. Did you two race each other today?”

“We had a little confrontation with the school's swimmers”, Haru smiled, as Rin chuckled at the understatement.

“Just now, we were discussing next year's motor racing programme”, Rin added.

“Aha, another coincidence!”, Nagisa grinned. “We're going to see Mako-chan and Gou-chan to go over the team's budget. Chrysler's given us the green light to do the whole season if we get enough sponsorship and prize money!”

“Nagisa-kun, I don't think it's opportune to mention our team's finances in front of Rin!”, Rei objected. The red-haired swimmer just smiled and reassured him.

“No sweat, Rei, I was just talking to Haru about sponsors and all that.” Patting Haru on the shoulder, he insisted: “seems that you have another reason to look for some!”

Haru just rolled his eyes. It was a personal matter for him to deal with, so there was no point for Rin to prolong that topic. He changed his focus.

“We were also talking about you, Nagisa”, he said. “Haru tells me you're looking forward to driving again.”

“Hell, yeah!”, Nagisa shouted. “I can't wait to go through some more iconic corners: Eau Rouge, the Karussel, the Corkscrew...”

“What 'Karussel'?”, Rei interrupted.

“Yeah, it's on the Nordschleife”, Nagisa replied, immediately. “We're having a time trial event before the Gala on that track, remember?” Rin and Haru gave each other a complicit smile, agreeing that Nagisa was just raring to go again.

Unlike his blond friend who was bouncing around with excitement, Rei was standing still and getting cold, so he insisted that they get a move on.

“Full team meeting for dinner at yours, Haru?”, he asked.

“As discussed”, Haru replied.

“Mackerel, I suppose?”, Nagisa asked. Haru nodded, and the four waved to each other as the two younger boys hurried on.

Rin got up and suggested they move too. He was going to spend the afternoon and evening with Ai, but was happy to walk a little more with Haru. In the end, they were heading in the same direction as the others, only at a slower pace. They caught a glimpse of Rei and Nagisa starting to jog along the seafront. Or, more accurately, Rei was jogging to get warmer, and Nagisa was taking the mickey, alternating skipping, walking sideways and backwards.

“His exuberance usually annoys me, but not today”, he commented, about Nagisa.

“He can be a handful when he's over-enjoying something”, Haru added. “I hate it more to see him down, though. The week after his crash... That's something I _don't_ want to see again.”

“I'm really sorry for that”, Rin commiserated.

“Don't be, it wasn't your fault”, Haru interrupted. “Or anyone's.”

“Yeah, so everyone says”, Rin responded, before stopping his walk. Haru stopped a couple of steps further ahead, and turned round.

“You know, he'd hate me for saying this, so keep it to yourself...”, Rin gulped. He looked Haru straight in the eyes as he continued. “It hurt Sosuke too... to have been involved in that. He was really shaken up. Probably nowhere near what you've been through... but not a pretty sight either.”

Haru remained silent. The two could relate to each other's pain to have had a friend break down before them. And not just one: Haru remembered Rei's utter despair upon hearing what had happened to Nagisa, and then how low Makoto had felt after the test at Brands, while Rin could recall Ai sitting and trembling in the rain during the red flag period. Rin had managed to convince him to drive on, and, in fact, he did rather well once the race restarted. But when the gearbox started playing up, there was little motivation in the team to repair it and get the car back out on track – two collisions and then a major mechanical issue were enough trouble for one race.

After a moment, Rin breathed in deeply, and smiled again.

“So, when did they take his plaster cast off?”

“A couple of days after Suzuka”, Haru replied, also smiling.

 

_That evening, at Haru's house._

“Thanks for the meal!”, chanted Nagisa, Rei, Gou and Makoto, all together, before attacking the main course. Of course, it was mackerel, but Gou had insisted to help out in the kitchen to make sure something else also made it on to the plate. Makoto had told her to trust Haru, he wouldn't mix mackerel and pineapple if he was asked not to, but she just had to make sure.

During dinner, Haru was briefed on the team's situation: as Nagisa had let slip earlier, a full season of seven races wasn't going to happen without extra sponsors or some major winnings in the early races. Rei had worked out that the most the team could do on current funding would be six rounds. Given that skipping Germany would probably mean missing the Gala, that the manufacturer wanted them to do America, that the TLM was a no-brainer and that Suzuka was their home race, it was Belgium, Brazil or Britain that would have to be axed.

“Can there be extra support from Chrysler?”, Haru asked, with his discussion with Rin in the back of his mind.

“No way”, answered Gou. “To them, we're basically a cheap alternative to running a second works car, so it's clear they want to spend as little as possible on us. We have some factory cover for the races they really want us to be at, America, the TLM and Suzuka, but we have to budget the rest properly.”

Rei talked next. Having put the 2015 race calendar next to Haru's dish, he explained the team's optimal plan.

“Logistically speaking, as we want to do Germany and have to do the TLM, it makes the most sense to do Spa and Britain, which are close to the other two. California to Brazil is a more expensive haul, so skipping Brazil is the safest. Also, this plan allows us to add Brazil if we get more sponsors or some good top-5 prize money in the first two European races.”

Haru was only half-listening to Rei. He had registered that the team had the ressources to do a lot of the races, so he was thinking about his availability.

“I can do the first two races, the National Championships are just before”, he said. Nagisa smiled as Haru closed in on making official his involvement. After pausing to take a mouthful of fish, he was very quick to make his next point.

“I won't do America or Brazil: that's in the middle of important preparation for international competitions... The end of the season is the same as this year, no problem for me.” He ate another morsel, still visibly in thought.

“Aren't the first two races in conflict with your university terms, though?”

The sentence stunned his guests. While Haru's studies were adapted to the fact that he was an aspiring sportsperson, and Spring was therefore dedicated to preparing for the swimming season, the normal academic calendar started in April. It dawned on the four who had drawn up the plan that they had focused more on what they _could_ do than what they _should_ do. But there was a third thing to take into account: what they _wanted_ to do.

“Well, I'd like to do as many new tracks as possible”, Nagisa intervened. “We don't know if we'll get another chance.”

“Haru has a point though”, Rei said. He teased Nagisa with a frown which made the blond boy raise his eyebrows, before smiling and adding “we'll just have to take our homework!” Rei was doing well in his studies, and he was confident in his abilities to learn by himself, on the road. Makoto laughed and added a comment.

“It'll be important to have discipline, to reserve time to study like Haru reserves time to swim. Let's do Spa and the Nürburgring.”

“But what about America?”, Gou asked. “Chrysler's made it contractual that we go there, they want two cars at their home race, and Haruka's said he won't take part.”

“Rei-chan can race!”, Nagisa chirped, patting his blue-haired neighbour on the back. Rei's eyes opened wide in surprise and he almost choked on his food. He caught his breath and thought fast to come up with an excuse.

“Er, it's a four-hour event, maybe we can use just two drivers?”, he said.

“Come on, Rei-chan, don't be silly!”, Nagisa counter-attacked, repeating his tap on Rei's shoulder. “It'll be fun! And I didn't get to drive with you at Suzuka!”

“You were great there, Rei”, Makoto added, wearing that unmistakable, reassuring smile of his. “Besides, as our reserve driver, you're pretty much obliged to take over when one of us can't take part. Come on...”

“Come on... come oooon...”, Makoto, Nagisa and Gou chanted all together. Rei blushed, etched a shy smile and brought his hand to his glasses.

“Well, it sounds like I had already said yes, then...”, he chuckled.

“YAY!”, Nagisa and Gou shouted, hugging Rei, who didn't snap out of his thought pose. Opposite them, Haru and Makoto smiled. Six races was going to be quite a trial, but it meant that they would all get to spend more time together. Not to mention more time with a certain other team...

“Let's not say anything to Rin about this, shall we?”, Haru suggested. “And surprise the Samezukas at the New Year party.”

“Haha, sounds great!”, Nagisa reacted. “I can't wait to see Ai-chan's face when we tell them we'll do a nearly full season!”

“But what if they ask? How do we lie about that until then, Haru?”, Rei asked. “We mentioned earlier that we were finalising our plans.”

“Tell them we're waiting for final confirmation from the manufacturer”, Haru replied.

“Technically, we will be”, Gou laughed. “But the six races are solidly financed. There's no way they'll say no. So yeah, we can confidently tell _onii-chan_ and his team-mates what we're doing at the party.”

“Yeah, just don't spill it first”, Makoto told her.

“Me?!”, she replied, bringing her hand to her chest in vexation. She was only acting offended though, which her ear-to-ear grin gave away. “Me, tell my brother what you guys are up to?! I would never do such a thing!”

All five laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there it is, bait for season 2 right there... I have precise ideas for a second series, which would take on more personal points of view as the 2015 season goes on, and there is somewhere I'd like to get to, but I'll see how and when I get round to writing. I think I will, and I'll share it as it comes, whereas for this fic, I wanted to be sure I would finish it before publishing.  
> Meanwhile, Haru, Makoto, Nagisa, Rei and Gou make an adorable team, whatever they try their hand at, and it's been a blast writing this, in the endurance racing setting I absolutely love, with a technical fantasy twist, around them. Drawing has been an important part of the process too. On the tumblr blog, you'll find the helmet designs by looking for the keyword "countdown to fast 34", and sketches of the boys on the TLM podium and celebrating their Suzuka finish with the keyword "fast highlights".
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Reviews and comments will be appreciated to know how it's been for you.  
> As they would say in the _Free!_ end card: SEE YOU NEXT SEASON... (or on an unrelated project)


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